EC asked to Expand Registration Centres

Kofi Tonto, a government spokesperson , has expressed disagreements with the Electoral Commission’s decision to limit the voter registration drive to just its district offices.

According to him, the EC’s decision is fraught with genuine challenges because it will only result in difficulties for persons in remote parts of districts to come to the district capitals. This, he argued, could impede people’s decision to register.

According to him, several Ghanaian villages, especially those in rural areas, are too far from the EC’s district offices, making it practically difficult for qualified voters to register.

“In parts of the Ashanti Region and Western Region, people have to travel several kilometers to get to the district capitals. In other parts, they have to cross rivers. All leading to exorbitant transportation costs.”

Kofi Tonto appealed to Jean Mensa, the EC’s chairperson, to reverse her decision to limit voter registration to EC district offices exclusively and create more centres in districts where there genuine need for them.

“I firmly believe that an inclusive and fair electoral process is essential to the advancement of a society, and access to voter registration should be simple and free from unneeded and avoidable artificial barriers. There is no need to expand the registration centres in every district as they will be no need. But the EC must identify specific districts where real mobility challenges and add more centres,” Kofi Tonto told Accra-based Metro TV.

“Limiting voter registration to district offices can create barriers, self-inflicting bottlenecks for eligible voters, particularly those residing in remote or underserved areas making it difficult or nearly impossible for them to exercise their right to register and vote,” he said.