144 trained for revision of voters register

Kumasi, April 29, GNA - About 144 registration supervisors and 48 camera trainers in Ashanti Region have undergone separate training programmes to enable them train officials recruited for the May 5 - 14 revision of the voters register in the region.

The registration supervisors were taken through registration process, opening of the registration centre, duties of registration officials, filing of the scan and other registration forms, key registration regulations, role of party agents, registration irregularities and filing of challenges.

Mr Kofi Asomaning, Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission addressing the closing session of one of the training programmes in Kumasi on Friday, said the exercise was to allow Ghanaians who had attained 18 years and above as well as the few who for one reason or the other even though eligible, did not have their names on the existing voter register.

Mr Asomaning said because the envisaged number of qualified applicants was limited, the exercise would be carried out at a central location at each of the 840 electoral areas in the region while a camera would be assigned to serve two electoral areas to make up for the inadequate number of cameras available to the Commission. He told the trainees that the Commission would continue to rely on their accumulated field experience over the years and were expected to continue to exhibit higher sense of professionalism and commitment. The Regional Director asked them to register only qualified persons and be mindful that multiple registrations was an offence punishable under the law.

He said the exercise was neither for replacement of lost voter identity cards, transfer of vote or for change of voter particulars and that the Commission would fix another time for the replacement of such lost cards or change of particulars.

Mr Lawrence Sarpong, Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of the Commission, said though applicants would register at a central location within the electoral area, applicants would have their names added to the register of the polling station close to their residences and asked the officials to use the guide book made available to them to effect the posting of such applicants to their respective polling stations. He said to avoid the influx of voters who might want to re-register for various reasons, applicants of 20 years and above would be required to make an undertaking to the effect that they had not been registered and would be prosecuted when found.

Mr Sarpong asked them to work as a team and co-operate with party agents who would be posted by their respective political parties to observe the exercise.