Political parties ‘expected’ extension of voters’ registration exercise

Some political parties have expressed disappointment in the Electoral Commission of Ghana for not extending the limited voters’ registration exercise.

The exercise, which registered newly eligible voters, ended on Wednesday, August 13 after 10 days of activity.

“Ideally, we would have expected that it was extended,” remarked the Deputy Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Paa Kow Ackon, on TV3's News 360 on Thursday, August 14.

“But we don’t know the financial resources of the Electoral Commission,” he added.

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) complained the days of publicity and advertisement were few, claiming it justifies a call to have the exercise extended by the EC.

“The publicity was low,” said National Youth Organiser, Ernesto Yeboah.

“We had hoped that the EC would have extended because [on Wednesday] we saw quite a number of people over and above what we have seen at some of the registration centers.”

Already, the Electoral Commission has served notice it is not considering reopening registration.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), though not expecting a change in the EC’s stance, says: “If it will be extended then it should go to the rural areas.”

Its Women’s Organiser, Anita De Sooso, explained that some of the polling stations assigned to register the eligible voters in these rural areas were so far that some restrained from travelling long distances to do so.

She called on the EC to consider such cases in subsequent exercises.