Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Representatives of the Electoral Commission (EC), National Identification Authority (NIA), and Ministry of Finance recently briefed Ghana’s Parliament on the proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I) for voter ID registration.
The proposed CI recommends that the ECOWAS Identity Card (Ghana Card) be the sole required identification document for voter ID registration, and that registration centers be located at the commission’s office in the various districts instead of polling stations. This means that every citizen aged 18 or over would have to travel to the Electoral Commission office in their district with their Ghana Card to register to vote.
However, Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees citizens the right to vote. It states that every citizen of Ghana who is 18 years or older and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for public elections and referenda.
Under regulation 1(3) of the proposed C.I by the Electoral Commission, a person who applies for registration as a voter must provide the national identification card issued by the National Identification Authority as evidence of identification. This regulation would restrict many Ghanaians from exercising their voting rights, as over 3.5 million cards have been locked up due to financial constraints from the government, and many citizens have not started the process of obtaining the card.
The proposed C.I has flaws, lacks credibility, and poses a threat in the coming elections. It would make it difficult for people who have the district offices located at a distance to get registered, thereby disenfranchising them.
The leader of the 18Plus4NDC group, Miss Bridget Bonnie, has vehemently opposed the proposal and is asking members to disallow its passage. She argues that the new C.I will disenfranchise many young but qualified voters in many ways.
Moreover, Miss Bonnie has argued that although there are NIA premium centers facilitating the process of obtaining the Ghana Card, it is quite expensive for many young people to obtain their services. It is, therefore, going to be challenging to insist on the national ID card for registering new voters.
The E.C Chairperson, Madam Jean Mensa, argued that the Ghana Card will be the sole document to register all new eligible voters who want to register for the voters ID card. She explained that the position of the EC is to do away with the guarantor system because it allows non-Ghanaians and underage persons to register for voting.
In conclusion, the proposed C.I lacks credibility and could disenfranchise many eligible voters. The members of parliament should not allow the EC to lay the proposed C.I as it puts the safety of the country in danger. The long-existing peace and unity of the country cannot be taken for granted.