Source: newsthemegh.com
The Electoral Commission (EC) has received a request from Nana Kwame Bediako, the founder of the New Force Movement, to prolong the time frame for the current limited voter registration drive for first-time voters.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Mr. Bediako said that the 20 days that the EC had given to complete the registration process was terribly insufficient.
He said, “They have given us 20 days to exercise our right to vote registration, and I have petitioned the EC on behalf of the country to reconsider this duration and extend the time for us.”
“We have to be fair to our people, and therefore I’m asking again for this petition to be established for the youth of this nation,” he said.
Mr. Bediako gave reasons for the call, stating that many of the young people the program is aimed at are in school getting ready for exams and that there aren’t enough days for them to go home and register.
Mr. Bediako expressed issues regarding the registration centers’ locations as well. He expressed concern that in remote places, potential first-time voters may be denied the opportunity to vote due to the lengthy travel times required to reach a registration center.
“In 2024, we don’t have 33,000 stations or polling stations for people to register, instead, we have 258 offices by the EC that has three to four different constituencies, making it 1,068 spaces which is 3% of the 33,000 polling stations that helped us to do the registration in the past four years.
“My question is, how is this going to be possible by using just 1,068 spaces, commanding the entire nation, people to come from different types of regions, some travelling 2,050 kilometres just so they can have a registration?” he asked.
“They have a whole year that they open their systems for the nation to be able to exercise their voting rights and throughout this year, they take the time to educate the youth and the people of the country so they can understand what democracy is,”
“I’m saying this boldly that politicians will come and go, their time is four to eight years, and, therefore, we cannot govern this nation based on a politician’s interest.
“I’m asking politely that as a country, as a nation, we should all come together and go forward with this petition. Making sure that the EC grants us the extension and I think as a nation, we have the rights to do so,” he added.
Mr. Bediako stated that, regrettably, “he has to wait for another four years before the best opportunity to be a part of democracy” for young people like his son, who turns 18 in June.
He pointed out that developed nations offer voter registration all year round to provide individuals ample opportunity to do so, in contrast to the EC’s deadlines for new voter registration.
Mr. Bediako restated his appeal to the European Community to defend the nation’s democratic rights.