Limited voters’ registration violence is a warning for December polls– Peace Council

The violence that has broken out at several registration locations during the ongoing limited voter registration drive has drawn the attention of the National Peace Council, which believes that it poses a threat to the general elections that are scheduled for December.

The Executive Secretary of the Peace Council, George Amoh, in an interview with Citi News, said “For us at the peace council, whenever an issue like that comes up, like the one that happened, unfortunately, at some part of the Ashanti Region, are early warning signs, you do not downgrade them.

“You have to carefully assess the potential they have to affect the elections in December. They are signs that we have to sit up but they are not signs to discourage us,” he stated.

Additionally, Mr. Amoh pleaded with the Electoral Commission to take advantage of all the chances at hand in order to guarantee that a greater number of eligible voters register.

During an Accra press conference, the EC attributed the violence to the failure to use the Ghana Card as the only form of identification.

The necessity for a more effective and tranquil registration process was emphasized by Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chair of the Electoral Commission.

Instead of using physical confrontations to resolve any disputes or issues regarding applicants’ eligibility, Dr. Asare recommended political party agents to use the challenge process.

“We have also noticed that some of the disturbances occurring at some of our registration centres are due to the fact that some people are doubting the ages of some of the applicants.”

“This is the reason why the Commission has been advocating the usage of the Ghana Card, which has the date of birth and the nationality of the bearers of the card, and the abolishment of the guarantor system.”

“We are hopeful that in the next registration exercise, applicants will use the Ghana card as the means of identification,” he said.

The Electoral Commission’s support of the Ghana Card as the only identity document seeks to expedite the registration procedure and reduce disputes.