By Dorphina Ansah/Chanel Acheampong/Rabiatu Atogna
Accra, Sept.14, GNA – Some new registrants have expressed worry about the slow pace of the Electoral Commission Limited Registration exercise which commenced on Tuesday September 12, 2023, across the country.
When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the Ablekuma South District Office of the Commission, most of the applicants expressed worry about the slow pace of the registration, saying they had been in queues for long hours.
They said even though the process started an hour late due to what the EC officers’ term as network challenges it had been slow.
“We have been queuing for 0500 hours (about 3 weeks) and we are still here. We expected that after at least an hour of the process most of us will have left here, because we are also going to school and our various places of work,” they said.
Some applicants also thought the registration office location was too far.
Madam Sandra Laryea, an applicant said “I got here early in the morning, and I am still in the queue. It would have been more convenient if this registration took place in the Ablekuma-South District.
The GNA also observed that some political party agents were also there to observe the process.
Mr William Amenuvor, Deputy Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress in the Ablekuma-South Constituency appealed to the EC to move the registration centre to the Ablekuma-South District to enable the youth to take part in the exercise.
He said where the registration centre was currently located was far away from the people who they sought to register.
Mr Amenuvor said due to the distance, most of the young people were not able to make it because “they do not have money for transport.”
“I had to go back to my Constituency to organise a minibus to convey them here as well as provide them with breakfast since they are going to be here for a while,” he added.
However, at the Krowor District Office, the GNA observed that the process was going on smoothly, where applicants waited patiently in the queue for their turn.
The Registration Supervisor, Madam Dorcas Crentsil, said the process had been easy and the network system was effective for the process.
Mr Emmanuel Odai Afotey, Registration Technician, also added that the printing session of the cards was going smoothly.
The Electoral Commission began the Limited Voters Registration Exercise on Tuesday in all the 268 District Offices across the country.
The 21-day exercise is to enable Ghanaians within the voting age (18 and above) and those who could not partake in the last Registration in 2020 to do so, in preparation for the December 19, 2023, District Level Elections.
GNA