By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, Sept. 14, GNA – A total of 716 new voters were captured in the Volta Region on Tuesday at the beginning of the limited voter registration exercise being held at district offices of the Electoral Commission (EC) nationwide.
Thousands are expected to partake in the three-week exercise.
Mr. Eric Dzakpasu, Volta Regional Director of the EC, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that sheds for the exercise had to be relocated in some districts.
He said power outages caused by the rainstorm caused the event to be placed on hold in several areas for hours, while internet connectivity issues slowed the processes.
Mr. Dzakpasu, however, noted how the exercise had begun on time in all district offices as planned and there were no violence or extreme challenges encountered.
He said there were also no concerns over political party mobilisations of eligible voters in all 18 districts, and added that the various Parties had been engaged on the conduct of the exercise.
The Regional Director asked all to take advantage of the exercise, and to do so on time to avoid the peak crowding.
The GNA’s visit to the Regional office, which also holds the Ho district office, was at about 0700 hours on the second morning of the exercise, and there were more than ten young people waiting to be registered when it opens at 0800 hours.
Registration Officers were set to begin while a file of Police officers hang around to ensure security.
Agents of the various political parties were also present, identified by issued tags hanged round their necks.
Nana Oduro Numapau, Ho Municipal Director of the EC, told the GNA people had arrived at the office to be registered as early as 0700 hours, and was on course to meeting the set daily target of 300 until the rains came.
He said a total of 72 was registered, and hoped rain and attendant power and network challenges would be minimised for the exercise to progress.
The Municipal Director said runtime for each applicant was an average eight minutes, and that the officers employ periodic education for people in the queue to help maintain speed within the process.
The exercise runs from 0800 hours to 1700 hours each day, and is expected to end October 2, 2023.
GNA