The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned that it will oppose an attempt by the Electoral Commission (EC) to use only the Ghana Card to register prospective voters.
It insisted that such a move would disenfranchise many Ghanaians which had compelled the party to describe the decision as “absurd”.
“The NDC will fully apprise the public of implications of statements made by Electoral Commission in coming days on the absurd and unreasonable decision of the EC and will not agree to any decision that seeks to constrict access to the electoral roll and the party wishes to use the opportunity to remind the Electoral Commission under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution,” the statement said.
It noted that every Ghanaian of 18 years and above and of sound mind is entitled to register as a voter for the purposes of elections, the right to register and exercise franchise was an inalienable right that should not be denied the citizenry who qualify to exercise same and Article 45(e) of the Constitution enjoined EC to undertake programmes for expansion of registration of voters.
In July, the EC placed before Parliament a draft Constitutional Instrument (C.I) titled ‘Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2021’, which is expected to regulate continuous voter registration and per the new C.I, the Commission is seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole form of identification for eligible voters who want to get onto the electoral roll and referred to the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament.
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, a former Chairperson for the Commission advised the Commission against the move and contended that millions of qualified electorate would be disenfranchised by the decision.
He maintained that citizens do not lose their citizenship if they were 18 years or older but did not have the Ghana Card and queried why Ghana Card must be made the only means of identification for purposes of establishing eligibility to register to vote.
