Hundreds of Ghanaians on Tuesday thronged the Electoral Commission’s (EC) Ablekuma West district office to take part in the Limited Voters Registration Exercise.
This would enable them to get on the electoral register ahead of the December 19 District Level elections as well as the 2024 polls.
Applicants from the 10 areas that make up the Ablekuma West Electoral Area got to the EC’s offices before 0800hrs to get registered.
The exercise is scheduled to end on October 2, 2023.
Some came all the way from Opete Kwei, Agege, Shaibu, Otojor and Gbebu Mpoase electoral areas to get registered.
Others came from surrounding areas such as Orisco and the Zodiac/Akokofoto electoral area to register.
Their wish to get registered early enough to go and do other duties did not occur because the exercise did not start until about 1040hrs.
Only 11 people had successfully finished the registration process as of 1140 hours when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) team left the centre.
However, before the process started, Mr Kwame Ampadu, Municipal Electoral Officer for Ablekuma West, apologised for the delay.
He explained that the late start was due to technological difficulties encountered by his team.
Mr Ampadu was optimistic that his team would be able to register as many people as practicable.
He told the GNA that regardless of when the process began, it would terminate at five o’clock since the registration equipment was designed to shut down at that precise time.
Mr Ampadu said that the closing time will not disenfranchise anyone because provision would be made for those who are not able to register today even though they were at the premises.
They would do so the next day before others.
Mr Kweku Addo, the National Democratic Congress’ Parliamentary Candidate for Ablekuma West, stated that, in his experience, the process usually begins with insignificant challenges, which deter people, particularly the youth, who are the target participants, from participating in the process.
He did, however, urge people of the target age to come out in numbers to take part in the exercise.
“My message to them is that they should know that they are Ghanaians first and foremost and that it is their civic duty to be registered and also to vote as Ghanaians,” he said.
The EC announced the commencement of the Limited Voters Registration Exercise in its 268 district offices on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, despite the National Democratic Congress and four other political parties’ injunction application against the commission.
This announcement was contained in a statement issued by the EC on Monday, September 11, 2023.
Applicants are expected to go with either the Ghana Card or the Ghana Passport to establish their identity as Ghanaians. In the absence of the two identification documents, applicants would be required to present two people who are already registered voters to vouch for their citizenship and age
GNA