The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is expressing optimism about the Limited Voter Registration exercise, urging the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure all necessary structures are in place to facilitate the participation of first-time voters. The exercise, which began today, will span 21 days and cover 266 centers across 276 parliamentary constituencies. Notably, there are 777 hard-to-reach areas, and a rotational program has been established for electoral officers to spend two working days in these locations to register new potential voters.
Mahdi Jibril, the Deputy Director of Elections for the NDC, articulated this on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM in Accra. However, Member of Parliament for Atebubu/Amantni, Sanja Nanja, expressed concerns that the allocated two days for hard-to-reach areas might not be sufficient, especially considering the higher population of new voters. He called on the EC to extend the registration period or allocate additional days to ensure adequate coverage, particularly in his constituency.
Meanwhile, the EC, led by Chairperson Madam Jean Mensa, has commenced the limited voter registration exercise, targeting approximately 623,000 first-time voters nationwide. The exercise, running from May 7 to May 27, 2024, will operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To mitigate potential challenges such as power outages, the EC has arranged for district offices to rent generators. In the event of power disruptions, registration centers will switch to an offline mode, allowing manual registration with details stored on a pen drive until power is restored.
Madam Jean Mensa emphasized the commission’s commitment to ensuring a smooth registration process, with contingencies in place to address any unforeseen circumstances. This proactive approach aims to prevent disruptions and maintain the integrity of the voter registration exercise, crucial for democratic participation in Ghana.
