Parliament on Friday, March 31 rejected the Public Elections (Registration of Voters ) Regulations, 2023 Constitutional Instrument (CI) proposed by the Electoral Commission (EC).
Parliament directed the EC to present a new one with a guarantor system reinstated.
The use of the Ghana Card the sole identification document, according to the EC, would have removed completely the guarantor system for voter registration exercise.
Chair of the Commission Jean Mensa earlier said the guarantor system was prone to abuse.
Briefing Parliament on Tuesday, February 28 Madam Jean Mensa said “The use of only Ghana Card will ensure and guarantee the credibility of the register and elections, prevent enrolment of minors, prevent foreigners from voting, eliminate the guarantor system which is prone to abuse.”
“The Ghana Card will not be used for voting in 2024, it will be used to register,” she said.
The Minority have been raising issues against the proposed CI.
The Member of Parliament or Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu said that the Minority were opposed to any move by the EC because “There is the right to vote and be voted for, the NDC will defend that right.”
“We are contesting the use of Ghana Crad as the sole reference for purposes of getting registered as a voter,” he added.
He stressed “the right to vote and be voted for is sacred. 3.5 million people don’t have the card, can you tell these 3.5 million persons not to vote?”