The Paramount Chief of the Goaso Traditional Area in the Ahafo region, Nana Akwasi Bosompra I, has strongly criticized the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, for the commission’s recent decision to restrict the conduct of the limited voter registration exercise to its district offices.
According to Nana Akwasi Bosompra I, this decision has the potential to disenfranchise a significant number of Ghanaians who reside in areas located far from the district offices.
He also expressed concerns that many eligible voters might lack the means to travel from their villages to the EC’s district offices for registration.
“What is Jean Mensa doing, has she been to Ahafo before? Does she know the town that follows Esumira. Does she know the town after Kasapin, so is Jean Mensa saying that all these people, if they want to write their names they should have three people and travel to Goaso? Is she going to pay for their fare?
“She should be careful not to bring any confusion into this country because of a woman’s decision, I’m pleading with her she should change that rule and decentralise the process. Because a rich person can bus people to register and vote for him but that person is someone we may not even like.”
The EC Commission has announced the commencement of a limited voter registration for eligible Ghanaians who turned 18 years after the 2020 registration exercise and other eligible voters from September 12, 2023, to October 2, 2023.
But the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, said the exercise would be held at all the 268 district offices of the EC across the country.
Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe on Monday disclosed that the party’s Legal Directorate will consider exploring legal means to challenge the legality of the Electoral Commission’s decision to hold the upcoming limited voter registration at its district offices.
The NDC argues that if the EC is allowed to go by its plans, most of the new voters will be disenfranchised.
