Registration Officers threaten boycott

Accra, March 16, GNA - Some Registration Officers at the Ashalley Botwe Electoral Area have threatened to boycott the registration exercise which started throughout the country on Tuesday, if the allowance of 200,000 cedis to be paid to each of them at the end of the exercise was not increased.

They suggested that they should be paid 400,000 cedis or 500,000 cedis.

A visit to Saint Francis Roman School A and B registration centres by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) revealed that the exercise started at half past 1030 hours instead of the 0700 hours as scheduled because the registration officers felt reluctant to take part in the exercise. In an interview with the GNA, Mr Henry Dzrekey and Mrs Georgina Agble, both Registration Officers, said they opted out during the training session when the amount was made known to them.

"It was just last night that they brought the registration materials to my house and there was no way I could tell them to return them", Mrs Agble said.

"We have made it today and if this issue is not resolved, the visiting supervisors will come and meet empty chairs tomorrow and the subsequent days", Mr Dzrekey threatened.

Reacting to the grievances of the registration officers, Mr Fitz Addo, Assistant District Officer of the Electoral Office in Tema; told the GNA that there was nothing they could do at their level since the money was also given to them by the Government and said the message would be carried across to those in authority.

The situation was, however, different when the GNA visited Madina Number One and Three Junior Secondary Schools and Ogbojo registration centres where anxious voters trooped in their numbers to register on the first day.

At 1020 hours when the GNA visited the centre, 108 people had been registered.

Mr Kingsford Annane, Registration Officer, told the GNA that he was happy with the turnout and "this goes to say that despite the comments by people that they are fed up with voting, many have swallowed back their words".

He commended the Electoral Commission for creating more registration centres to avoid overcrowding saying this has really ensured smooth registration exercise.

Some voters the GNA spoke to, complained of the absence of the camera and said it would be very difficult to get all the voters again to take their pictures from June 17 to 24 as stated by the EC.