Electoral Commission to Release Provisional Voter Register on August 16

The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that the provisional voter register for Ghana’s general elections on December 7 will be available to political parties on Friday, August 16 2024.

This announcement comes in response to a request from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghana’s largest opposition party, for the immediate release of the provisional register.

The delay in releasing the register has been criticized by Dr. Omane Boamah, the NDC’s Director of Elections, who has accused the EC of incompetence and claimed that the delay is a deliberate attempt to provide political parties with a substandard register.

He expressed concern that this delay could lead to significant issues and potentially cause instability if not addressed promptly.

In defense, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe, the EC’s Director of Training, clarified that the commission is adhering to legal requirements. According to Regulation 22 of CI 91, the EC is mandated to compile the provisional register within ninety days of completing data collection from the registration process.

He explained that while the initial plan did not include a mop-up exercise, the decision to add one extended the timeline. The EC has assured that they are working within the legal timeframe and will provide the provisional register by Friday.