Over 4.4 million citizens captured in voters registration - EC

The Electoral Commission has said it has recorded some 4,445,346 registered applicants in the first eleven days of the ongoing voters registration exercise.

Providing clarity on the numbers at a press briefing on Monday, July 13, 2020 in Accra, Deputy Commissioner In-Charge of Corporate Services, Dr Bossman Asare said the figure is almost 30 percent of the projected 15 million applicants the EC is likely to register.

“So far the Commission has registered a total of 4,445,346. The Greater Accra Region leads with 20.9% of the registered voters. Ashanti Region follows with 18.4%, and the Eastern region is at distant third of 9.5% and the Central region at 9.4%. The North East region is at the bottom with 1.7%,” Mr Asare explained.

He added the Commission has noted that some potential registrants are of the view that because the registration teams have moved to other centres, applicants will not be permitted to register in the upcoming December elections.

“It is important to stress that as long as one lives in the electoral area, he or she can register in the nearest center close to his or her house,” he assured.

Due to delay at some registrations centres on Sunday, July 12, 2020, as a result of network challenges, the EC says it will use its mobile teams to work in all these centers as a way of ensuring applicants will not be disadvantaged.

The compilation of a new voters register by the EC commenced on June 30, 2020, through to July 5, 2020, in the first phase of the exercise across the country.

The exercise, which is expected to last for 38 days, is projected to capture the biometric data of about 17 million Ghanaians eligible to vote ahead of the 2020 December 7 general elections.