The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) is defending the credibility of the electoral roll despite the admission of some minors on the voters’ register.
During the Electoral Commission’s (EC) just ended limited voter registration exercise, some persons suspected to be minors were apprehended at various registration centres.
The minors, whom some indulged in double registration, according to CODEO, are going to appear before an adjudication committee since their eligibility were challenged.
Albert Arhin, National Coordinator of the Coalition says they will be attending the meeting with other civil society organisations, the Electoral Commission and representatives of the political parties.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues Sunday, June 02, 2024, Mr. Arhin noted that the adjudication committee always sits after a registration exercise to take decisions on ineligible registrants on the roll.
“It’s something normally done after every registration, when the machine comes out
with double registrants, minors, and then it is shown and then we look at it and then we take a decision on them. So if we see that this is truly a minor, then that card is rejected,” he said.
Despite the minors on the roll, he insisted “the information collected is credible. It’s credible. Despite the minors on the roll. The minors have multiple registrations. A lot of them have been challenged. And they are going to appear before the adjudication committee. Again, there’s going to be what they call adjudication. I’ve been invited.”
“They will show all the double registrations, people they consider to be minors, their pictures will be shown. And it’s not only CODEO that is going to be there. Representatives of the parties are going to be there. The EC itself will be there. Some CSOs are going to be there. And these things will be shown to all of us,” he relayed.
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The EC ended its 2024 limited voter registration exercise on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
The exercise, which span for 21 days, commenced on Tuesday, May 7, and was extended by two days to make up for the challenges that fraught the first two days of the process.
The Commission targeted 623,000 first-time voters to be enrolled in the national album ahead of the 2024 election.
Despite the initial technical challenges that marred the exercise on the first two days and on the last day, political party agents expressed satisfaction with the process, stating that they met their targets.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Adukwei Mensa, has emphasised the importance of compiling a credible voter register as election 2024 beckons.
She said that without a credible voter register, there can never be transparent elections.
Addressing a news conference in Accra on Monday, May 6, ahead of the 2024 limited voter registration exercise, Jean Mensa said the EC was poised to deliver a credible and transparent election.
“As a commission, we remain poised and ready to deliver credible, transparent and peaceful elections and electoral processes starting with the 2024 registration exercise.
“It is well known that the voters register is a bedrock of an election. Without a credible and accurate voter register, there can be no transparent and acceptable elections,” she stated
