Prime News Ghana

EC goes digital as it introduces online voter registration

By Clement Edward Kumsah
EC
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The Electoral Commission, EC has introduced an online voter registration system.

Beginning with the limited voter registration exercise ahead of the December 27 referendum for the creation of new regions, new voters can now go to district offices of the EC and register online.

The registration which will take place from Sunday, September 16, 2018 to Tuesday, September 25, 2018 will be held in the 47 district offices of the Commission carved out for the referendum.

Addressing a press conference in Accra Friday, Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Mensah said the registration exercise is part of the Commission’s preparations towards the December 27 referendum to be held in the 47 districts of the proposed six regions.

“As part of the Commission’s preparations, a limited registration exercise will take place throughout the country as required by law. Ahead of the referendum, the country will be zoned into two for the purposes of this exercise. Zone one will affect areas carved out for the referendum and will be held in 47 districts of the proposed six regions. Zone two will include the non-affected areas.”

“The limited voter registration exercise will be done online through the Commission’s Voter Management System (VMS). The registration will take place in the 47 district offices of the electoral commission carved out for the referendum. The registration exercise will take place on Sunday, September 16 to Tuesday, September 25, 2018. Applicants are required to satisfy the criteria for eligibility,” she explained.

New Regions

On August 15, 2017, the Council of State advised President Akufo-Addo to appoint a Commission of Enquiry “to inquire into the need and to make recommendations on all the factors involved in the creation of the new regions.”

This was after the Council of State, on 29th June 2017, received communication from the President seeking the Council’s advice on the creation of new regions, as stipulated by the Constitution.

The President, on October 19, 2017, in accordance with Article 5 of the 1992 Constitution, inaugurated a nine-member Commission of Inquiry to inquire into the need and substantial demand and to make recommendations on all the factors involved in the creation of a region or alteration of regional boundaries.

The Commission is chaired by Justice S.A. Brobbey, a retired Supreme Court Judge, and has Dr Grace Bediako, Maulvi Mohammed Bin-Salih, Prof. Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Gladys Tetteh, Robert Ajene, David Wellington Essaw, Prof. George Owusu and Josephine Hughes, as its members.

The Commission commenced its public hearing on 21st November 2017 in the Western Region.

On June 27, 2018, the Justice Brobbey Commission presented its report to President Akufo-Addo and recommended the creation of six new administrative regions in Ghana and the new regions are to be known as Oti, Ahafo, Brong East, Western North, North East and Savanna.

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