The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed grave concerns around the technical delays that have characterized the start of the 21-day voter registration exercise in the Upper East Region.
At 12:30 PM, only two people were able to register at the Bolgatanga East District Electoral Commission office.
The challenge is attributed to the late arrival of the verification codes. The situation was no different in the Bolgatanga Municipality. A1 Radio gathers that the situation was the same across the region.
To this end, the NDC, in a statement signed by the party’s Upper East Regional Communications Officer, Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, has asked for enhanced transparency and accountability from the Jean Mensa-led EC.
Read full statement here:
We are greatly concerned about the delay in commencing the Limited Voter Registration across all fifteen constituencies on the first day of the exercise in the Upper East Region. The Electoral Commission’s failure to generate verification codes necessary for activating of the biometric registration kits at all 30 registration centers has impeded the start of the exercise for at least 5 hours, causing uncertainty within the constituencies.
Voter registration is a cornerstone of any democratic society, enabling eligible citizens to participate in the democratic process and exercise their fundamental right to vote. However, the current setback exposes systemic issues within the EC that pose a threat to the integrity of our democracy. Reports from all constituencies within the region clearly suggest that the delay stems from technical glitches and administrative oversights at the EC headquarters.
The inability to generate the required verification codes for the registration devices have brought the registration process to a halt. This has left prepared registrants frustrated, having expended resources to travel several kilometers to registration centers, only to be disappointed.
The repercussions of this delay extend beyond mere logistical inconvenience. With time passing and the registration exercise yet to commence, we are concerned about the potential deliberate disenfranchisement of eligible registrants, particularly in constituencies perceived as strongholds of the NDC.
This setback underscores broader issues surrounding electoral management under the Jean Mensa led EC, and emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced transparency, accountability, and fairness within the EC to prevent such occurrences in future electoral processes.
Considering these developments, we advocate for an extension of the scheduled days for the exercise to accommodate the lost time and urge the EC to refrain from actions that could undermine our electoral process. We remain committed to advocating for a fair and transparent electoral process. We will continue engaging with relevant stakeholders to address these critical issues and ensure the integrity of our democracy.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga|
