The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC), after disbanding the use of existing Voters ID card and Drivers license as proof of eligibility in the registration for the New Voter card, has compensated voters with additional Five (5) persons to guarantee in the vouching process.

As it is required in the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Requlations, 2016, in the C.I. 91, a registered voter could have only vouch for five (5) persons in every voter card registration, but the C.I. 126, will permit a registered person to guarantee for Ten (10), instead of Five (5).

The report of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament on the Public Election Amendment Regulations, 2020 (C.I. 126), revealed this when it was represented at the plenary on Tuesday, for its adoption.

The Committee, according to the report, observed that in order to compensate for the proscription of the use of the driver’s license and the existing voter identification cards, a registered voter may now guarantee for ten (10) persons to register, a hundred per cent increase from five (5) persons under the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Requlations, 2016, (C.I. 91).

“In other words, prospective registrants who do not possess any of the items listed in Regulations 1(3) of C.I.126 as evidence of identification could register if, they could find a registered voter to guarantee that they are citizens of Ghana and that registered voter can guarantee for ten (10) such persons”. The report suggested.

The report also highlighted the new requirement for the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Amendment Regulations, 2020 (C.1.126), proposed by the Electoral Commission (EC), that a citizen of Ghana who intends to register as a voter, would have to prove his or her citizenship by
providing either a Passport, National ldentification Card (the Ghana Card) or fill a Voter Registration ldentification Guarantee Form proving that the person is a citizen of Ghana.

Though the Committee was pessimistic that the distribution of the Ghana card by the National Identification Authority (NIA) may affect the number of persons who are available at registration centers to guarantee for others who do not have the Ghana card, but the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Samuel Tettey, assured the Committee of a smooth running of the process.

Mr. Samuel Tettey, reiterated that the new requirement process for the voter card registration would not be affected, because immediately a person has been registered and issued with a voter card, that person is legally qualiftied to guarantee for other persons to register.

He also confirmed that the Voter Registration ldentification Guarantee Form attached to C.I. 126, has a column for the voter ID card number of a person who can guarantee for other persons after obtaining their new voter ID card.

Mr. Tettey, also assured the Committee that administrative arrangements would be made to ensure that there is sufficient supply of guarantee forms at registration centers.

Source: Editor/www.newslinegh.com

 

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