The 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former president, John Dramani Mahama, has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to extend the upcoming mop-up voter registration exercise to include remote areas, not just district offices.
Mr Mahama insisted that this expansion is crucial to ensure that all eligible Ghanaians, particularly those in hard-to-reach areas, can register to vote.
The EC has planned this mop-up exercise for August 1st to 3rd, 2024.
However, Mr Mahama argues that broadening the registration locations would prevent disenfranchisement among potential voters.
“If this young lady or gentleman manages to secure two guarantors, pays for the transportation of the guarantors to accompany them to a registration centre and due to network failure and postponements, this young person is unable to register via the guarantor system, what is the likelihood that he or she can return another day to register with two guarantors?
“That leads to voter suppression. I will continue to urge the EC to prevent voter suppression by extending the mop-up exercise beyond its district offices to include all hard-to-reach areas.
“This will enable Ghanaians who have turned 18 or more to register from the 1st to the 3rd of August,” he said.
He made these remarks during the 'Mahama Conversations' event on Sunday, June 9, where he engaged with citizens and discussed various national issues.
Credit: myjoyonline.com