Voters register hits 12.8 million

Accra, Sept. 10, GNA - The voters' register has hit a record of 12,822,474, an increase of 16.7 per cent over the 2006 electoral list of 10, 987,057, a provisional electoral statistics made available to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday revealed.

The electoral list prepared by the Research and Monitoring Department of the Electoral Commission indicates that the limited voter registration last month recorded an increase of 290.4 per cent over the 2006 limited registration.

The EC captured 1,835,417 voters during the recent exercise while the figure for 2006 was 632,087 voters.

The regional statistics indicate that Western recorded 185,400 new voters an increase of 292.0 per cent over the 2006 figure of 63,491. The provisional voters' list for the region stands at 1,256,707, an increase of 17.3 per cent over the 2006 figure of 1,071,307.

Central recorded 141,351 new voters as against 49,713 captured during the 2006 limited voter registration, an increase of 284.3 per cent. The total provisional voters' list for the region is now 1,048,351, an increase of 15.6 per cent over the 2006 figure of 907,000 voters.

Greater Accra captured 340,694 new voters during the limited registration exercise, an increase of 298.4 per cent over the 2006 exercise which recorded 114,171 voters. The provisional list for the region is now 2,553,645, an increase of 15.4 per cent over the 2006 figure of 2,212,951 voters.

Figures for the Volta Region indicate that 151,718 new voters were captured as against 63,066 recorded during the limited registration in 2006 an increase of 240.6 per cent. The region's provisional voters roll now stands at 1,034,250 as against 882,532 recorded in 2006 an increase of 17.2 per cent.

Statistical data for the Eastern Region shows that 186,708 new voters were captured during the recent limited registration exercise as against 61,965 voters captured in the 2006 exercise, an increase of 301.3 per cent. The provisional total list for the region is 1,391,063 as against 1,204,355, an increase of 15.5 per cent.

The Ashanti Regional statistics indicated that 374,451 new voters were captured during the limited registration exercise an increase of 330.7 per cent over the 2006 exercise which recorded 113,236. The provisional voter population for the region is 2,381,214 voters, an increase of 18.7 per cent over the 2006 electoral roll of 2,006,763 voters.

Brong Ahafo Region recorded 186,604 new voters, an increase of 285.1 per cent over the 2006 exercise which recorded 65,456 voters. The provision figure for the region is 1,191,288 voters, an increase of 18.6 per cent over the 2006 list of 1,004,684 voters.

Figures for the Northern Region indicate that 153,793 new voters were captured during the exercise, an increase of 226.3 per cent over the 2006 figures of 67,952.

The provisional figures for the region stands at 1,116,087 voters, an increase of 16.0 per cent over the 2006 voter's list of 962,294 voters.

The statistics for the Upper East Region show that 69,988 new voters were captured during the limited voters' registration exercise, an increase of 396.3 per cent over the 2006 figure of 17,660. The provisional total figure for the region is now 514,404 voters as against the 2006 statistics of 443,416 voters, an increase of 15.8 per cent.

The Upper West Regional figures indicates that 44,710 new voters were captured during the recent exercise as against 15,377 voters captured in 2006 limited registration exercise, an increase of 290.8 per cent. The provisional figure now stands at 336,465 voters, an increase of 15.3 per cent over the 2006 voter list of 291,755 voters.

Meanwhile, the Commission has intensified education of politicians on the electoral system, laws, and its operational structure in an effort to build confidence in the integrity of the electoral process. Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the EC, speaking to Regional Inter-Party Advisory Committee members from the Western and Ashanti regions after a tour of EC's facilities urged the political parties to collaborate with the commission for peaceful elections.

He said the EC would display two electoral rolls during the provisional exhibition - the 2006 Voter Registration roll and the current limited voter registration figures for verification by the electorates.

On resolution of electoral disputes the EC Chairman said that mandate had been given to the judiciary adding, "adjudication of electoral dispute is directly under the purview of the Courts".

Dr Afari-Gyan debunked the notion that the electoral framework was late, saying, "we are still operating within the legal framework for conducting elections in Ghana. The September deadline was EC's own operational date, which we have changed for the exhibition of the voters register."

The EC took the opportunity to educate the politicians on the electoral timeframe, exhibition of the provisional voters' register, filling of nomination, operations at the Data Processing Department and Elections Operation Room (Strong Room).

The study tour was organized by the Commission in collaboration with the KAB Governance Consult with support from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.