COMMENTARY ON THE EXHIBITION OF PROVISIONAL VOTERS REGISTER

The on-going exhibition of the Biometric Voter register forms part of the effort to conduct free, fair, and peaceful election on December, 7. The Electoral Commission in its desire to put in place a credible voter register has embarked on a chain of electoral activities. One of such activities was the historic biometric voter registration exercise that took place between March 24th and 5th June this year. Since voters registration is a process but not an event, the provisional voters register has been displayed at all polling stations throughout the country from 1st September, and expected to end on the 10th September. The exercise is to allow for public scrutiny of the data in the register, in accordance with the Constitutional Instrument (C172), the law that governs registration of voters in the country. It is instructive to note that this exercise is neither a mopping up nor another round of registration, but rather it is meant for only those who took part in the Biometric voter registration Exercise.

The importance of this exercise cannot be over emphasized. First and foremost, it offers an opportunity for prospective voters to verify whether their particulars found in the register are what they presented during the registration. In the event of any omission, the affected voters will be allowed to fill inclusion forms so that the particulars can be included. This will only be done with a convincing proof of registration. It will also allow the prospective voters to correct mistakes in their particulars if any. In the same way, they will be given the chance to object to the registration of any voter they deem ineligible but whose particulars are found in the voter roll. Incidentally, the exhibition centres are going to be polling stations on Election Day. In that case, it becomes the means of assigning voters their polling stations and making them known. This will help to avoid the situation where many voters move from one polling station to the other in search of their polling station on Election Day.

As a matter of fact, this exercise is very important because it will not only make the register clean but will also reduce to the barest minimum, issues that can bring about disappointment, arguments and misunderstanding which can be a recipe for violence at the polling station. In the light of this, eligible voters are entreated to endeavour to make use of this golden opportunity to check their particulars in the register. They should not assume that once they have gone through the registration process and have their voter ID cards, all is well. After all, the registration officials and all the equipment used can fail. Let us all co-operate to make the voters register credible and nip in the bud issues that can be sources of confusion and conflict at the polling station on election day so that we can have peaceful elections that we all desire for Mother Ghana.

BY: GABRIEL DEI, DISTRICT ELECTORAL OFFICER, KWAEBIBIREM–KADE.