The compilation of a new voter register, which was heralded by controversy as a result of its resistance by some political parties and civil society organisations, is scheduled to end today, Thursday, August 6.
The exercise began on Tuesday, June 30 and was held countrywide but in phases.
So far, over 15 million eligible voters have been registered.
Out of this number – exactly 15,108,687 – most applicants used the National Identification Authority (NIA) cards to register. These constitute about 57 per cent of the total number of persons registered so far.
The controversy over the compilation shifted from resistance to the entire exercise to the rejection of previous cards and birth certificates as breeder documents.
But the Supreme Court on Thursday, June 25 dismissed an application brought before it by the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), directing the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) to apply the new constitutional instrument (CI), CI 196, in compiling the register.
By CI 196, two already registered voters can vouch for the citizenship of those without the required documents.
So far, 5,466,662 persons have registered with guarantors.
A few, approximately 276,882 so far, has used passports to register.
Though the exercise ends after 37 days, the EC says it will give opportunity “to those who in one way or the other could not avail themselves to register during the exercise”.
“A mop-up of the registration exercise will be held on Saturday, the 8th of August, 2020 and Sunday, the 9th of August, 2020 at the District Offices of the Electoral Commission across the country.
“Eligible applicants who wish to register should visit the District Offices within their Districts to be registered.”
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana