Minister rallies support for compilation of new voters’ register

Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has called for everybody to attach utmost importance to the impending voters’ registration exercise by the Electoral Commission (EC).

“I am urging all qualified persons in the region to exercise their constitutional rights, freedom and liberties, to go and register as the Commission prepares to compile a new voters’ register,” he said.

Qualified Ghanaians who failed to get involved in the exercise, to be issued with new voters’ identity (ID) cards, would have no one but themselves to blame.

Citizens of 18 years and above, and of sound mind, qualify to get their names on the voters roll.

They are required to show proof of citizenship by either a Ghanaian passport or Ghana card, or as proof of identification, have two guarantors who have already registered as voters so they can register.

Mr. Osei-Mensah, addressing a press conference in Kumasi, underlined the need for a non-partisan approach to the exercise and warned any troublemakers to have a change of heart.

The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was going to provide adequate protection for all.

The compilation of new voters’ register, he said, was not anything new, saying, this was done in 1996, 2004 and 2012.

The EC has carried out a two-day pilot voter registration exercise to test run the kits, it would be used to compile the new voters roll, to identify any hidden flaws and get these fixed ahead of time.

Registration of voters is expected to start before the end of this month – June.