Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has justified her outfit’s decision to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for voter registration ahead of the 2024 polls.
Briefing Parliament on the proposed constitutional instrument (C.I) for the next general elections, Madam Mensa said the Instrument seeks to ensure that voter registration becomes a continuous all-year-round registration of eligible voters at its district offices.
The draft constitutional instrument entitled: Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2021 has sparked controversy because of its form.
A section of the draft that sought to make the Ghana Card the sole form of identification for eligible voters who wanted to get onto the national register has been vehemently kicked against by the Minority and a section of the public.
But addressing Parliament Tuesday, Jean Mensa said the C.I will make registration flexible for eligible voters.
She said, “Under the limited voters’ registration process, registration was conducted at limited periods and was not done all year round. This made it such that, persons who turned 18 after the registration period could not do so after the time set for the limited registration, which usually within 2–3 weeks.”
The EC Boss also indicated that under the new C.I., anyone who turns 18 can walk into any of its district offices and register to vote.
“This is a departure from the previous one. The main advantage of this is that potential voters can register anytime any day. Eligible persons will be at liberty to do it at their leisure because it will be an all-year-round activity,” she contended.
She also added that it will reduce the usual pressure at registration centres, “thereby reducing the likelihood of conflicts whatsoever.”
“It will prevent minors and foreigners from voting and will take away the guarantor system,” she added.
But in a question to the EC Boss, MP for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku argued that the proposed C.I will end up disenfranchising many Ghanaians of voting age if approved in its current form.
He said the C.I., when approved, “will be an offence to this article (Article 42) because not all Ghanaians have the Ghana Card.”
Again, Mr. Opoku said if the registration goes on for a year, persons living far away from the EC District Offices and are eligible to register and vote may not be able to travel to register due to financial constraints.
“So now if you don’t have money to travel to the district office, you cannot register and vote?” Eric Opoku quizzed while arguing his case on the floor of the House.
