The ability of the Electoral Commission (EC) to use the Ghana Card for voter registration will depend on how quickly the National Identification Authority (NIA) issues Ghanaians with their cards to enable them to register onto the electoral roll, according to Dr. Osae Kwarpong, a Senior Fellow at the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).
His statement follows the EC's insistence that the Ghana Card be used as the only form of identity for voter registration.
The electoral roll registration of children and foreigners is a problem that the elections administration body believes would be resolved by the Ghana Card.
Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Electoral Services at the EC, stated at a forum held at the University of Ghana on Thursday, June 15, "We are satisfied that we have addressed impersonation to a large extent, we have addressed double registration and multiple voting to a large extent, but how do we address the registration of minors and foreigners?
"I think the politicians will now aid us because they are usually the ones who hire those persons and then accuse the EC of having registered minors, which is what happens most frequently.
"But, the EC believes that using the Ghana Card is one method to address this, and there have been so many discussions that we are currently at odds over this.
"We continue to advocate that the Ghana Card be used so that we can handle the issue of minors because it will have their dates of birth and citizenship information. Also, it will significantly lower the registration of minors and foreigners.
Dr. Osae Kwarpong stated, "I understand where the EC is coming from in terms of its thinking and its drive to have voters register with "integrity"," on the Ghana Tonight Program on TV3 with Alfred Ocansey on Thursday, June 15.
"We have had these discussions among the political parties and Ghanaians year after year in an effort to get us to a place where we can trust the register. The most recent of the several steps we've implemented was 2020.
He continued, "I think one of the difficulties that have been highlighted in the past is that it is also dependent on the ability of the NIA to ensure that Ghanaians can register and receive their cards in time so that they may register to vote. This insistent on the Ghana Card."
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