Voters register revision beset by financial problems

The revision of voters register, scheduled to start from Friday March to Sunday March 31 is beset with problems. This is because the Electoral Commission did not get the required funding to undertake the exercise. There has been little or in some places, no publicity at all to inform the electorates of the exercise. Two days to the commencement of the exercise, the Electoral Commission is now putting together advertisements to inform electorates of the exercise.

The Chief Director of the Electoral Commission, Kwame Damoah Agyeman told JOY FM that the exercise, scheduled to take place last year, was postponed to this year because funds were not forthcoming from government. But that same problem cropped this year. Government informed the Electoral Commission just last week that could not provide the required funding for the exercise.

The scarcity of funds has compelled the Electoral Commission to limit the revising exercise to electoral centers instead of polling stations. This has prompted concerns from some political parties who argue that it defeats the purpose of the entire exercise. They contend that a few potential voters will be willing to travel to travel to the electoral centers. Mr Damoah Agyeman however says the commission has no other option.

The exercise will also not be extended as proposed by the political parties because any extension will affect the district assemblies elections scheduled for July, this year.