The Electoral Commission (EC) has suspended the on-going registration exercise ‘pending thorough discussion’ on the event.
The Election management body in a statement said that it is still considering on whether to continue with the process or not.
Political parties including the NPP, NDC and the PPP have all complained about the registration exercise claiming they were not informed before the body carried out the exercise.
Below is the full statement:
Continuous registration of voters put on hold
The chairman of the Electoral Commission has directed that though continuous registration of voters is a facility under the Law, the formal resumption of the registration must be put on hold pending a thorough discussion of the matter with IPAC.
All district officers of the commission and the general public are to take note of this directive and comply.
Background
The Electoral Commission on Friday 15, May served notice it has commenced “a continuous registration of eligible voters” in accordance with Regulation 9 (1) of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2012, (C.I 72).
The exercise was opened to Ghanaian citizens who have turned 18 years recently and those who are above 18 years but could not register in previous registration exercises.
Accusations
Pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance, has called on the Electoral Commission to cease the continuous registration and vote transfer process.
In a statement, the pressure group said the NDC are using the continuous registration by the EC to smuggle ineligible voters into the already over-bloated register that needs a complete overhaul.
NPP Joins
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has also called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to suspend the ongoing voter registration exercise until all the necessary stakeholder consultations have been made.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong, the exercise is in breach of the regulations governing electoral processes in the country.
NDC surprise at EC
The General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has said that he is surprised at the decision of the Electoral Commission (EC) to open the continuous voter registration exercise without the consent of the various political parties.