Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called upon the Electoral Commission (EC) to undertake significant reforms in its preparations for the upcoming limited voter registration exercise.
The primary aim behind this call is to ensure greater accessibility for eligible Ghanaians eager to participate in the electoral process.
In a statement issued today, Mahama underscored the need for the EC to decentralize the limited voter registration exercise. This decentralization, he argued, would facilitate a smoother and more accessible registration process for a wider cross-section of the population, ultimately fostering greater inclusivity in Ghana’s democratic procedures.
“Access to a voter ID card should be easy and not limited by location,” Mahama said in a Facebook Live session on Wednesday, September 6. “Every Ghanaian deserves a chance to exercise his democratic right. I strongly urge the Electoral Commission to facilitate the registration exercise in all its electoral areas to allow for easy access, and reduce the burden on the citizenry in their quest to register.”
“I challenge the EC to be more transparent in the processes preceding the limited voter registration exercise, the replacement of Voter ID cards and the transfer of votes,” he said. “As has been made in a formal letter to the EC by the general secretary of the NDC, we want to know when the names and photos of the registration supervisors, registration officers, registration assistant and other officials for the registration exercise will be published at the district level as stipulated by the EC regulations.”
In addition to his call for decentralization and transparency, Mahama also underscored the importance of the upcoming 2024 elections, suggesting that it is an opportunity for Ghanaians to vote for change.
