EC hopes to register 500,000 Ghanaians yearly with new CI
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, says the commission will register between 450,000 to 550,000 Ghanaians annually if a new Constitutional Instrument (CI) proposed by her outfit to govern the 2024 elections is approved by Parliament.
The EC wants the Ghana card to be used as the sole document for identification purposes for voter registration ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament after she was summoned to brief legislators on the proposed CI, the EC Chair said the new constitutional instrument will allow for continuous registration of new voters.
“Mr. Speaker, relying on the 2021 census report, and per our own estimate, we are likely to register between 450,000 and 550,000 Ghanaians every year. We believe that of the 17 million people that the National Identification Authority (NIA) has registered, it’s highly probable that the 450,000 to 550,000 persons we intend to register annually already have the cards as we speak,” she said.
Madam Jean expressed confidence in the NIA of issuing cards to persons who don’t have Ghana cards urging persons who are yet to access the cards to go through the process at the various NIA centres.
“With the NIA assurance that it will commence issuance of the cards, in a matter of weeks, we encourage those who do not have the cards to begin the process of acquiring the cards to enable them to register as voters. The NIA has its registration centres across the districts and regional capitals and therefore accessing their facilities will not be a challenge,” she noted.
She said young persons who will turn 18 years in 2023 and 2024 and are interested in voting in the 2024 polls are eligible to also visit the NIA registration offices to acquire their cards.
“We encourage any Ghanaian who will turn18 years in 2023 and 2024 and is interested in voting in the country’s elections should visit the nearest NIA offices and registration centres to get the Ghana card to enable him or her to also register as a voter when he or she becomes eligible,” the EC chair further advised.
She explained that persons who registered during 2020 are not part of this limited exercise.
“It is important to note that all those who registered in 2020, are not part of this registration exercise. Because all their details including their biometric features are intact,” she explained.