The Electoral Commission (EC) has justified its decision to confine the voter registration exercise to its district offices, emphasizing that its primary concern is the integrity of the voter register.
According to the Director of Electoral Services at the Commission, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe, the voter register plays a pivotal role in determining the leadership of Ghana, and therefore, it is imperative that its contents do not give rise to disputes.
“For the media and the CSOs, your attention is register them, register them, register them, that is the focus of the media and the CSOs. And probably that may be the reason why maybe you’re quoting my chair, at that time she was a CSO. But when you come into the kitchen that is where you see that your responsibility changes.
“The thinking of the Commission is that it is to register people and also to protect the sanctity of the register. That is very, very important that nobody is talking about. You’re going to compile the voters’ register that would be used to determine who leads Ghana on all fronts. What goes into the register should be something that should not bring about issues,” he said on Joy FM on Saturday.
A section of the public has voiced their disapproval of EC’s choice to limit registration centres to district offices, which are often located inconveniently for many eligible voters.
Both the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and various civil society organizations have called on the EC to expand the registration exercise to more accessible locations.
However, the EC has maintained its stance and proceeded with registration solely at its district offices.
Franklin Cudjoe, the founder and president of IMANI Africa, has strongly criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for its decision to restrict the voter registration exercise solely to its district offices.
During an appearance on the “Big Issue” programme on Citi TV on Saturday, September 16, Cudjoe expressed his concerns about the EC’s behaviour, stating that it has operated without accountability for some time and has been unresponsive to advice and recommendations.
“The EC has been allowed to become lawless for some time…it is impervious to whatever advice is given them.”
