Biometic registration delays in Weija constituency

Operations at some biometric voters registration centres in the Weija Constituency delayed due to malfunctioning of biometric registration equipment.

At noon, printers and scanners at some of those stations were not working.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that, at the Rose of Sharon centre at Sowutuom, as at 1145 hours, the exercise had not commenced.

The officials there were waiting for any of the three Electoral Commission’s (EC) technicians on standby in the whole constituency to come to rectify the situation.

The data entry clerk and other officers, who pleaded anonymity, said they had tried to operate the machines in vain.

The registration officer told the GNA that personnel arrived at the centre at 0830 hours but “when we started to register the people, we realize that the picture of the first man that was taken through the process had shifted from the form. So we decided to adjust it and the paper got stacked in the printer.”

He said he had informed the EC office at Weija and it was anticipated that someone would be sent to rectify the situation.

Prospective voters, some of whom arrived at the centres at 0400 hours, were still there as at 1000 hours, hoping that the problem would be solved to enable them to register.

Madam Sherry Kadi, who said she arrived at the centre at 0500 hours, expressed regret that the situation was lowering the enthusiasm of prospective voters.

Mr Mmuro Mensah, said: “all we want to do is to exercise our franchise in the December elections so the EC should ensure that the situation is resolved quickly so that I can have my ID card to vote”.

Both the National Democratic congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) agents, present at the centre said they were not surprised about the situation since it was anticipated to occur on the first day.

Mr Eric Tagoe, NPP agent, told GNA that he was hopeful the situation would improve with time.**