Here’s why you are charged 50 pesewas to check your voter details electronically

The Head of the Electoral Commission's Training Department, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, has explained why the Electoral Commission is charging a 50 pesewa fee for checking voters’ details electronically.

Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo show on August 21, 2024, he said the charges are paid to service providers and not the EC, as claimed by some members of the public.

“It is for service charges, and not for the Electoral Commission. If the money were to come to the Electoral Commission, then that is our money for us to account for but it's for the service charges. If you use MTN, the money goes to MTN; if you use Telecel, it goes to Telecel," he explained.

Dr Serebour Quaicoe further clarified that the method has been in use since the 2016 and 2020 elections and is not a new system recently implemented.

“In 2016, 2020 we used USSD codes to check for the voter exhibition details so this is not something new. The same amount of 50 pesewas was charged in those years,” he clarified.

The Electoral Commission’s response comes in the wake of concerns raised by the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.

The lawmaker criticised the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) for charging voters who want to check if their names are in the 2024 Election Voters Register electronically.

In a post shared on X on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, the MP asserted that it was wrong for the EC to charge people who want to check if their names are in the register via text message.

He further stated that the process has not been approved by parliament.

“Why is the Electoral Commission levying a fee of GH¢0.50 for every registered voter before the person can check his or her name in the provisional register using the shortcode: *711*51#?

“Who is getting this money? Parliament has already approved the EC’s budget for this exercise,” he wrote.

The South Dayi legislator added, “The people cannot be made to pay money before they are permitted to cross-check their names in the voters register, even if it’s by electronic means.”

MAG/AE