Voters' register: EC withdraws and relays Public Elections Amendment Regulations again

The Electoral Commission (EC), has withdrawn and re-laid to Parliament for a new Constitutional Instrument (C.I) to compile new voters register for the 2020 general elections.

The Public Elections Amendment Regulations was re-laid in Parliament for the second time in less than seven days.

The Public Elections (Regulation of Voters) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 when passed will make a passport number one identification to be presented as evidence as a Ghanaian.

The C.I, signed by the Chairperson of The Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, in line with article 51 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana is seeking to amend Regulation 1 of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016 (C1. 91).

According to the C.I and by the substitution for sub-regulation (3) of (3), "a person who applies for registration as a voter shall provide as evidence of identification one of the following:

(a) a passport;



(b) a national identification card; or (c) one voter registration identification guarantee form as set out in Form One of the Schedule, that has been completed and signed by two registered voters and (b) by the substitution for sub-regulation (4) of "(4) Despite paragraph (c) of sub-regulation (3), a registered voter shall not guarantee the identity of more than ten persons".

Inusah Fuseini, a Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, said when the document was laid in Parliament, "it was not accompanied with a schedule" and was withdrawn and re-laid by the EC.