Limited Voter Registration: Registrants sleep at registration center over poor network challenges

Correspondence from North East Region:

Some registrants in the ongoing Electoral Commission (EC) voter registration exercise in West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region at the Walewale office have resorted to sleeping at the center due to network challenges.

The registrants who traveled from the villages to the district capital in Walewale to register for the voter identification card are now sleeping on chairs at the office in their quest to acquire the voter ID due to the fluctuating nature of the network.

However, the West Mamprusi Municipal EC Director, Adams Abdul Rauf indicated that he received two new machines from the national office to add to the already existing machines noting that the new two machines will boost the process despite issues with the network.

He reiterated that the office is doing its best to deny underage persons from registering as it will have consequences for them in the future.

Adams Abdul Rauf who laments about the situation in the office to GhanaWeb in an interview said, "Initially, we were using two machines but fortunately, the commission has added us an additional two kits so I am hoping that, though we had a network challenge, but I am hoping that we get out of it".

"It is unfortunate that the network delayed us today. As for the pressure, the pressure keeps mounting because you realize a lot of them think that they have to come early to be able to form a queue, and some have just averted it that instead of coming in the morning, why can't I come in the evening and queue till daybreak so that I can get registered and go.

"I remember questioning one gentleman who told me that he sat on the chair till day break and a lot of them did so. So, it happens", Abdul Rauf added.

Meanwhile, Adams Abdu Rauf stressed that the commission is working tirelessly to ensure that all eligible persons in the country who show up to register will be captured in the voter's register before the deadline for the registration elapses.

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