Limited voters’ registration violence is a warning for December – Peace Council

The National Peace Council has expressed concern about some of the violence that has ensued at some registration centers in the ongoing limited voters’ registration.

According to the Council, the violence serves as a risk to the upcoming general elections in December.

In an interview with Citi News, George Amoh, the Executive Secretary of the Peace Council said “For us at the peace council, whenever an issue like that comes up, like the one that happened, unfortunately, at some part of the Ashanti Region, are early warning signs, you do not downgrade them.

“You have to carefully assess the potential they have to affect the elections in December. They are signs that we have to sit up but they are not signs to discourage us,” he stated.

Mr. Amoh also urged the Electoral Commission to maximise the opportunities available to ensure that more people who qualified get their names registered.

In a press conference in Accra, the EC blamed the violence on the non-usage of the Ghana Card as the sole document for registration.

Dr. Bossman Asare, a Deputy Chair of the Electoral Commission, emphasised the need for a more efficient and peaceful registration process.

Dr Asare urged political party agents to utilize the challenge process to address any discrepancies or concerns with applicants' eligibility instead of resorting to physical confrontations.

“We have also noticed that some of the disturbances occurring at some of our registration centres are due to the fact that some people are doubting the ages of some of the applicants."

“This is the reason why the Commission has been advocating the usage of the Ghana Card, which has the date of birth and the nationality of the bearers of the card, and the abolishment of the guarantor system.”

“We are hopeful that in the next registration exercise, applicants will use the Ghana card as the means of identification,” he said.

The EC's advocacy for the Ghana Card as the sole identification document aims to streamline the registration process and minimize disputes.