Why I called for an expansion of registration centres in 2016 - Jean Mensa

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC), Jean Mensa, has explained why she called for the expansion of voter’s registration centres in 2016 when the EC was registering voters only at its district office at the time.

Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, September 18, 2023, Jean Mensa indicated that her call for the expansion of the registration centres in 2016, when she was the boss of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), is being wrongly used against her administration following their decision to hold the current limited voter’s registration at the EC’s district offices.

She explained that the circumstances in 2016 were different from that of today because in 2016 the registration was done during an election year but this one is not.

“On a personal note, I have seen a video circulating in which the author states that as Executive Director of the IEA, I called on the EC to expand the registration centres during the 2016 Voters Registration Exercise ahead of the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

“I state categorically that I said so - and I did so in a constructive manner, devoid of attacks, insults and falsehood. We recall that in the lead up to the 2016 election, the Commission at the time, undertook voter registration in its district offices throughout the country. This was conducted in a year of a general election. i.e. a presidential/parliamentary election. I am being accused of doing the same thing,” she said.

She added, “The difference here is this, the current exercise being conducted in the 268 district offices is not being undertaken in a year of a general election. 2016 was a year for Presidential and Parliamentary elections, hence my call to the EC in 2016 to expand the scope of the registration”.

The EC boss said that there is going to be another voter registration in 2024 which would be different from the limited voter registration being held today and the registration held in 2016.

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She rejected assertions that the EC was holding the limited voter’s registration exercise in its district offices to prevent Ghanaians from voting in the 2024 elections.

“What is baffling is that the very same persons who are accusing us of trying to disenfranchise eligible voters were silent in 2016 when the Commission instituted registration in the District Offices ahead of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections,” she added.

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