Accra, June 25, GNA - Many voting centres in the Greater Accra Photo-Taking Exercise were virtually empty by mid-day on Friday, the last day of the exercise, which began on June 17. Queues were absent and Electoral Officials were on " holiday" as a significant number of potential voters had been issued with their voters' photo ID cards
The nine-day exercise ended the nationwide exercise to replace the existing voters' register, which was considered "bloated". Ms Patient Soku, Lamination Officer at Additrom Day Care Centre said unlike the usual Ghanaian practice of waiting till the last minute many people had taken their photographs for their voters' identification cards during the period.
The centre at Adabraka, had issued 619 Ids out of the total 661 potential voters, Kaneshie Kingsway Stores at Awudome, 820 out of 875 and Assemblies of God 722 out of 814. At the St Lawrence Preparatory School at Abeka, 535 out of 567 eligible voters had participated in the photo-taking exercise, while the number at Nima Catholic Centre was 879 out of 931. At Legion Hall 'A', 620 out of 650 eligible voters had been registered, while 680 out of 700 had taken their photo IDs at Centre 'B'. At the Rose Day Care centre at Wuoyeman Akwateman, Mr George Ahovi Toto, Lamination Officer, said 760 out of 800 have participated in the exercise.
Ms Lucy Gazadey, a Lamination Officer also told the GNA that since the exercise began, they had not experienced any major problems or shortage of materials apart from occasional "hiccups". She felt there was no need to extend the exercise. Mr Isaac Lamptey, Registration Officer at the G - Maa Temporary Booth, said a total of 837 out of 851 people had taken their photographs for the ID cards at the time of the visit. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Ms Laurentia Kpatakpa, EC Greater Accra Regional Director, said the Commission had not done anything to disenfranchise anybody as all those who cared to participate had the opportunity to do so. She said the Photo-Taking officers also performed creditably well despite the initial problems, especially with logistics.
