Registration of minors “unpatriotic and irresponsible” – CRI

The Child Right International (CRI) has condemned political parties who were involved in the registration of minors during the limited voter registration period.

The Executive Director of the civil society organization, Bright Appiah, described the act as “unpatriotic and irresponsible”.

He said the development does not augur well for Ghana’s future because “we are teaching them [minors] to be unpatriotic and irresponsible towards national affairs.”

Mr Appiah has therefore appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to remove the names of minors from the voters’ register to maintain the sanctity of the process.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the child rights advocate scolded political parties and parents who engaged in the illegal act, admonishing them to refrain from it in subsequent exercise.

He said once children were allowed to take part in the electoral process, it made them more vulnerable and susceptible to exploitation.

Such exploitation, he stated, included children being employed under harsh conditions because it is assumed that they are above 18 years.

Some political parties, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had been accused of registering minors in the just-ended limited voter registration exercise.