Limited Voter Registration Exercise: EC captures 910,996 voters… exceeds 700,000 target by 200,000

The Electoral Commission (EC) says it is “satisfied” with the conduct and outcome of the just ended limited voter registration exercise.

The commission said against a target of 700,000 out of 1,350,000 restorable population, it has cap­tured 910,996 exceeding its target with over 200,000 registrations.

A Deputy Chair of the Com­mission in charge of Technical Services, Samuel Tettey, at the commission’s ‘Let the Citizen Know’ series in Accra, yesterday, said it achieved this feat as a result of well-trained committed staff, adequate provision of materials and improved network systems.

“The commission is very much satisfied with the successful completion and outcome of the exercise,” Mr Tettey said.

According to him, the Ashan­ti Region recorded the highest registration with 148,284 registra­tions, the Greater Accra Region in second with 124,166 registrations and the Savana Region recording the least registrations with 21,754.

The Western Region recorded 55,886, Western North, 31,483, Central Region 85,152, Volta Region 55,557, Oti 26,481, Eastern 92,780, Bono Region 31,922, Ahafo 22,253, Bono East, 39,804.

The rest are Northern Region 76,510, North East, 24,667, Upper East 43,641, and Upper West 30,656.

The registration of 9,720 regis­trants, representing 1.1 per cent of total registrations, Mr Tettey said were challenged across the country.

On the gender distribution of applicants, Mr Tettey said men dominated the registration with 51.7 per cent against 48.3 of women captured.

Two regions, however, Upper West and North East recorded higher female registration.

“On the basis of identification document used by applicants, the guarantor system okayed with 563,919 representing 61.9 per cent and distantly followed by those who used Ghana card at 37.8 per cent and passport at 0.3 per cent,” he disclosed.

The irony, he said was that the 2020 voter registration has almost 61 per cent of registered voters using the Ghana card.

Despite more applicants using the guarantor system to get onto the roll this time round, Mr Tettey said “the commission is convinced that the guarantor system has no place in our electoral democracy.

“We call on all stakeholders to support the commission’s endeav­our to use our Ghana card as the sole identification document for registration,” he added.

Mr Tettey dismissed assertions that some applicants could not get the opportunity to register.

All those who were in the queue at the time of the completion of the process on October 2, he said have all been registered.

“A credible voter’s register is one of the main pillars for delivering a peaceful and credible elections. The commission will therefore not leave any stone unturned in its quest to have a credible register,” he stated.

BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI