EC agrees on allowances for registration officials

Accra, May 5, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) has agreed to pay an allowance of 400,000 cedis to Registration Supervisors involved in the revision of voters' register which began on Friday. Deputy Registration Supervisors are to be given 350,000 cedis while Registration Officers will receive 250,000 cedis.

Mr Augustine Ntiamoah, EC District Electoral officer, Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metro, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday that shading officers and laminators would receive 200,000 cedis each, while cameramen will receive 250,000 cedis allowance each and additional 50,000 cedis for transportation.

The EC explained that due to lack of adequate cameras to simultaneously cover the over 5,000 designated registration centres throughout the country, cameramen are to commute between the centres to take pictures of eligible voters who have registered. Registration of voters, which started on May 5, would end Sunday, May 14. It would be from 0700 hours to 1800 hours daily, including the weekend.

The exercise is to enable Ghanaians, who have attained 18 years after the last registration exercise, to add their names to the voters' register.

Others, who for one reason or the other had not registered as voters, could also register.

"Arrangements would be made for applicants whose registration data were captured during the replacement of the voters' register in 2004 but were unable to take their photographs to have their pictures taken and issued with voter I.D. cards", the EC stated.

The EC has urged all family heads, traditional rulers, assembly and unit Committee members, political parties, religious bodies and well-meaning Ghanaians to report on the death of friends, relations, members and acquaintances to enable the Commission to initiate steps to remove the names of deceased voters from the register to make it reliable, accurate and dependable.

However those who registered but changed residence or misplaced their voter ID cards should not register again, The Commission said, adding that that constituted a punishable offence. The Commission said it would employ the transfer of vote facility to make it possible for all voters to vote at their current locations. It would also make arrangements to replace all lost ID cards before the elections.

"All Ghanaians and stakeholders are expected to co-operate and maintain the required vigilance to make the revision of the voters' register a great success, " it said, adding that the register remains a major determinant in ensuring credible, free and fair elections at all levels at all times.