Patronage of registration exercise in KEEA low

The fishing season with its related activities, has been attributed to the low patronage of the ongoing Limited Voters Registration Exercise (LVRE) in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA) Municipality.

Other challenges such as faulty equipment of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the difficulty by prospective registrants in getting guarantors have contributed to the low turnout.

These came to light when the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Julius Debrah, with the Central Regional Minster, Mr. Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, visited some registration centres in the Municipality, on Friday, to monitor the progress of the exercise.

The LVRE, which began on Monday, August 4, is to enable Ghanaians who have attained the minimum voting age of 18 years and other adults who do not have their names in the Voters’ register to write their names.

To be eligible, a person must prove his or her status by tendering a Ghanaian citizenship Identity card, Driver’s license, Birth certificate, passport, baptismal certificate or to be attested to by guarantors.

The registration centers visited are the Amotoe and Sasem Ahenfie registration centres in Komenda; Kissi East and West centres in Kissi; and the Elmina Old Market and Elmina Market Square centres.

At the Elmina Old Market Centre, 81 persons had been registered since Monday, according to Francis Arthur, the registration officer.

He attributed the low patronage to the fishing season, which he said had made a number of eligible persons busy, but expressed optimism that the patronage would increase near the end of the 10 day exercise.

At the Amotoe Registration Centre, Mr. Eric Botsio, the officer in charge, told the team that 206 persons had been registered since Monday but their only challenge was their printer, which had developed a fault though officials were working to get it repaired.

The Sesam Ahenfie Centre also had a faulty printer but the officials had been able to register 185 persons since Monday, according Kojo Abakah Assan, the officer in charge.

He, however, explained that some persons who came to register but were asked to provide guarantors had not returned.

However, the Kissi East and West Registration centres, as well as the Elmina Market Centre, had no problem with their equipment and had registered 119, 61 and 49 persons, respectively, since Monday.

The Ministers said they were satisfied with the progress of the exercise, despite the challenges and they were sure the patronage would increase when the exercise enters its last days.