'I don’t have Ghana card, will EC disenfranchise me?' - Asiedu Nketia

General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia has said even though he was registered by the National Identification Authority (NIA), he still has not received his Ghana card – one of the primary documents needed for the voter registration – and, thus, wonders if he would be disenfranchised by the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC) because of that.

The Electoral Commission of Ghana wants the Parliament, to legislate that only the Ghana card and passport be used as primaries documents for the voter registration exercise ahead of this year’s December general elections.

Already, the EC has submitted a Constitutional Instrument to the legislature to amend the relevant law or C.I. 91.

The NDC is kicking against the EC’s decision to compile a new register of voters. Also, the party insists the majority of Ghanaians will be disenfranchised if the EC uses only the Ghana card and passport as proof of identity to register eligible voters.

Speaking on Dwabirem on CTV on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, Mr Nketia said although he registered for the Ghana card at Seikwa in the Tain district, he has not yet received his card.

“Yes, I registered at Seikwa, Tain district, but as we speak, I don’t have my Ghana card. As the General Secretary of the NDC, will the EC disenfranchise me?” he asked show host Kwame Appiah Kubi.

Meanwhile, the EC has said reports that the compilation of the new register has been cancelled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus are false.

“The Commission wishes to state that the compilation of the new register of voters has not been cancelled. Plans are far advanced for the successful take-off of the registration process,” the EC said in a statement issued on 17 March 2020.



The Commission said it is “sensitive to the current state of affairs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will abide by the necessary precautions and safety protocols in the execution of its mandate when it deems it appropriate to begin the compilation of the register”.

The exercise had been scheduled to start in April but has been put on ice indefinitely following the outbreak of coronavirus in Ghana.

The EC's statement was in response to a comment passed by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, who castigated the Chair as running the election management body like an NGO.