Builsa South Member of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, has advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to heed the valuable advice of Goasomanhene Nana Akwasi Bosompra I and prolong the limited registration process to locations beyond the district offices.
Dr Apaak is urging the EC to reconsider its imprudent choice of concentrating the limited registration process solely at district offices, a move that could potentially undermine the people’s democratic intentions.
The traditional leader pointed out that the EC’s choice to confine the registration procedure to its district offices would hinder numerous individuals from completing their registration.
This comes after the EC announced a limited voter registration period for eligible Ghanaians who turned 18 after the 2020 registration period, as well as other eligible voters, from September 12, 2023, to October 2, 2023.
According to the EC’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, the exercise will take place at all of the EC’s 268 district offices across the country.
In response, the traditional ruler requested that the EC reverse its decision and expand the registration centres.
According to him, such a move would deprive a number of Ghanaians of the right to vote.
Instead, he wants the commission to start the process of holding the exercise in the electoral areas.
According to him, this could lead to some people with resources but not the qualifications to be elected abusing the process by busing people to registration centres and then demanding their votes.
In response to the comments, Dr. Apaak urged the EC Chairperson to heed the chief’s wise counsel and expand the registration centres.
He stated that the EC chair should understand that her job is to ensure that every Ghanaian eligible to vote has the opportunity to register and vote.
He claims that the EC chair is violating this constitutional duty and that the chief is correct in urging the EC to expand the registration centres.
“Jean Mensa must understand that her job is to ensure that every Ghanaian citizen who has attained voting age is given everything opportunity to register and to vote. Unfortunately, she seems to relish doing the opposite. The Chief is right, listen to reason Madam.”