The Supreme Court is to blame for the limited voter registration challenges – NDC National Youth Organiser, George Opare Addo

The Supreme Court has been blamed by National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Organizer George Opare Addo for the problems with the current limited voter registration exercise.

He claimed that the Supreme Court’s recent decisions have given the Electoral Commission (EC) more confidence to answer to Ghanaians.

George Opare stated on Citi FM in Accra in an interview that the EC is not following the law.

“The EC must register everybody who is eligible and is willing to register. The law also says that you should make the registration centres closer to the people. The EC is not going by any of those laws and principles.

“I blame our Supreme Court once again. Because in 2020, public officers owe a duty to the people they serve. At the end of a service, you owe it a duty to account for your stewardship.

“When Jean Mensa was brought to the Supreme Court, after changing her own election results four times. The Supreme Court gave her a leeway and did not let her stand in the dock. If she had been put in the dock like Dr Afari Gyan [former EC Chair] did…when you are a public servant after rendering services and there are challenges…you owe it a duty to tell us why those changes,” George Opare Addo said.

The statement comes after the difficulties the Election Commission is now having with its ongoing limited voter registration exercise. Potential voters found it challenging to register at certain registration centers due to network issues.

The Electoral Commission begun the limited voter registration exercise for first-time voters and persons who wish to own a voter card on Tuesday, May 7. The registration exercise is a 21-day exercise which will end on May 27, 2024.

Chairperson of the EC, Madam Jean Mensa, revealed that the exercise aims at registering approximately 623,000 first-time voters across the country.

“The registration will be from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. And that gives us the figure of 623,000 that we have put there. That is not to say that we cannot go beyond that. We did mention that in 2023, we projected 700,000 people to visit our registration centres,” she said.