EC suspends compilation of new voters’ registration exercise

The Electoral Commission (EC) has indefinitely suspended the compilation of the new voters’ registration exercise due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The EC had slated the registration exercise for April 18, 2020 ahead of the December 7 polls.

Addressing journalists after an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Wednesday, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Electoral Services at the Commission said “we had planned to do the registration on the 18th but because of the pandemic, we can’t do it on the said date, so, we are observing what is happening around the country and the global issue, when it gets to a time that we think the situation is fertile for us to commence with the registration then we can do it.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has consistently campaigned against the new voters’ register.

Last week the NDC sued the Electoral Commission at the Supreme Court over its decision to compile a new voters’ register ahead of the 2020 elections.

Several Civil Society Organisations including IMANI Africa have also kicked against the decision for a new voters’ register but the EC had maintained that compiling a new voters’ register ahead of the general election is in the best interest of the citizenry and will save the nation over GH¢170 million. -starrfmonline.com