Resist attempts by non-Ghanaians to register – EC
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has entreated the public “to expose and peacefully resist attempts by non-Ghanaians to register” for the new voter identification cards.
In a statement, the EC condemned attempts by some non-Ghanaians to acquire cards during the ongoing voter registration exercise.
“The Commission wishes to remind the general public that it is an offence for non-Ghanaians to register as voters in the exercise,” Director of Public Relations of the EC, Mrs Sylvia Annoh said in a release.
“Non-Ghanaians who are caught in the act will each be liable to pay a hefty fine or serve a two-year term of imprisonment or both,” the statement further noted.
The election management body is currently registering voters ahead of the December 2020 polls.
The exercise, which started on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, has entered its second phase and is expected to end on August 6, 2020.
The statement explained that the Constitutional Instrument (CI), which backs the exercise, excludes foreigners from participating in the registration.
“CI 91 explicitly states that non-Ghanaian citizens are not entitled to register as voters on our electoral roll.”
The EC embarked on the registration exercise to ensure that only qualified Ghanaians participate in elections.
The Supreme Court also ordered the Commission to expunge all ineligible people from its database in 2016.
The apex court requested the deletion of names of minors, dead persons and persons who had registered and voted in the 2012 polls with national health insurance cards.
The EC statement follows the arrest of three people by the Weija Divisional Police Command for registering foreigners.
The suspects were caught on Sunday at the GiCEL estate in the Weija Gbawe Municipality.
Meanwhile, security personnel in the Upper East Region also arrested a Togolese man who attempted to acquire a voters’ ID card on July 2.
The suspect, who was identified as Bouguiligue Kouassi Kampe, was picked up at the Bimpelle Primary School registration centre at Woriyanga at the Tempane District upon a tip-off.