No Need to extend limited voter registration exercise despite perceived Challenges- EC

The Jean Mensah led EC has told Ghanaians that, the commission will not extend date for the just ended limited voter registration exercise despite complaints from the public.

In a Press release issued by the EC, Acting Head of Public Affairs Michael Boadi made assurances that pragmatic measures have been put in place to ensure that eligible Ghanaians who are in the queue on or before 5:00 p.m. on Monday get registered on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

“The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the General Public that the 2023 Voters Registration Exercise ends at 5:00 pm today, Monday, the 2nd of October, 2023,” the statement read.

“The public is informed that the Commission will not extend the Voters Registration Exercise. The Commission, however, assures the General Public that arrangements have been made to ensure that eligible citizens who are in the queue on or before 5:00 pm today, are registered tomorrow, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023. This arrangement will be extended only to eligible applicants in the queue at 5:00 pm today, Monday, the 2nd of October, 2023.”

The EC lauded the general public especially NDC and NPP for “the cooperation and support during the 21-day Voters Registration Exercise”.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, the Deputy Chair of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare, said the commission had registered almost 800, 000 people, which he described as overwhelming.

“We have registered almost 800,000 or so people, and we are on track to register almost 900,000 people,” he said. “Considering that people came from different places within the district to come and register at one location to get such a number can only be very impressive.”

The 2023 limited voter registration exercise by the EC across all the 268 district offices ended at 5:00pm on Monday, October 2,2023 without the move to extend it despite public outcry.

Meanwhile, replacement of cards will commence on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at any of the EC’s district offices.

Story by Lawrence Odoom