The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has underscored the critical importance of compiling a trustworthy voter register in preparation for the impending 2024 elections.
She emphasized that without a reliable voter register, transparent elections are unattainable.
During a press briefing in Accra on the eve of the 2024 limited registration exercise, Jean Mensa affirmed the EC’s commitment to conducting a credible and transparent electoral process.
“As a commission, we remain poised and ready to deliver credible, transparent and peaceful elections and electoral processes starting with the 2024 registration exercise.
“It is well known that the voters register is a bedrock of an election. Without a credible and accurate voter register, there can be no transparent and acceptable elections,” she stated.
Mensa reiterated that the voter register serves as the cornerstone of any election, emphasizing that without an accurate and credible register, transparent and acceptable elections cannot occur.
The EC is scheduled to commence the limited voter registration exercise on May 7, 2024, in preparation for the December 7 general elections. This 21-day exercise aims to enroll individuals who have reached 18 years of age since the last registration cycle into the national voter database.
The exercise will take place at the EC’s district offices and in remote electoral areas, with permanent centers established at district offices and mobile teams deployed to register eligible applicants in inaccessible areas.
The list of registration centers will be provided to political parties at least 21 days before the exercise begins.
In a separate development, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has granted permission for Senior High/Senior High Technical School students aged 18 and above to participate in the exercise.
These students are granted four days off from campus, from May 7 to May 10, 2024, in alignment with their constitutional right to vote.
Regional Directors have been instructed to ensure compliance with this directive by communicating it to all Heads of SHS/SHTS within their jurisdiction.
“Permanent centres will be set up at the District offices while mobile teams would be used to register eligible applicants in the difficult to access Electoral Areas. The list of registration centres will be provided to the Political Parties no later than twenty-one (21) days to the Registration exercise,” the EC noted.
“The students have been granted four days off from campus, effective Tuesday, May 7, 2024 to Friday, May 10, 2024 to partake in the exercise in line with the constitutional right of all Ghanaian citizens to exercise their franchise.
“Regional Directors are kindly requested to communicate this information to all Heads of SHS/SHTS within their jurisdiction for compliance,” GES said in a statement on Monday.