Network signal fluctuations hampered the mop-up voter registration exercise in the New Juaben South Municipality on Friday, leading the Electoral Commission (EC) to reschedule the registration of 12 individuals to Saturday, August 3, 2024.
Mr. Abraham Dautey, the New Juaben South Municipal Technician for the EC, informed the Ghana News Agency that network issues had been affecting the mop-up exercise since it began on Thursday, August 1.
“Today the network signal went off as early as 11 a.m. and came back at 2:45 p.m. I can’t say it’s because of the continuous shower of rain because the other station is not facing any network signal loss,” he explained.
Aside from the network problems, Mr. Dautey reported that the registration process at the three centers was proceeding smoothly, with no incidents of double registration attempts.
“We have three stations where the registration is ongoing. Two stations at the EC office and one at the Koforidua Technical University. The two stations at the EC office faced the network challenges,” he noted.
By August 2, 2024, a total of 339 applicants, including students and workers who missed the previous registration period, had been successfully registered as eligible voters.
Mr. Isaac Minta Larbi, the Eastern Regional Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress, criticized the EC for failing to ensure a stable network signal during the registration exercise.
“We are in a world where the network defeats all weather conditions so if you live in a country where the weather defeats your network then you’re far behind,” he remarked.
Mr. Larbi emphasized the importance of capturing all eligible voters before the three-day mop-up exercise concluded, stressing that citizens could not afford delays since an extension was not guaranteed.
Conversely, Mr. Obeng Marnu, the New Juaben South Constituency Organizer for the New Patriotic Party, commended the EC for maintaining a safe and efficient registration process despite the adverse weather conditions.