North Tongu: More than 78% acquired the voter’s card using guarantor system – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stated that 78.1 percent of registrants in his constituency used the guarantor system for the process in getting their voter’s cards.

According to him, more than 1,700 did not have a Ghana card and they had to use the system to acquire the voter’s Identity Card.

“From the 2,310 eligible first time voters who have registered in my beloved North Tongu as at yesterday, the data shows that an overwhelming 78.1% used the guarantor system.

“Instructively, more than 1,700 did not have a Ghana Card,” Mr. Ablakwa wrote on his X (Twitter) handle.

He continued: “All these citizens and far more would have been disenfranchised if Parliament had approved Jean Mensa’s obnoxiously undemocratic C.I. which sought to abolish the guarantor system and make the Ghana Card the sole ID for voter registration.”

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Ghana has served notice that it will not extend the registration exercise.

The Acting Head of Public Affairs, Michael Boadi disclosed this in a statement dated October 2, 2023

Mr. Boadi however explained that the Commission has made arrangements to ensure that eligible citizens who are in the queue on or before 5:00 p.m. on Monday are registered on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

“The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the General Public that the 2023 Voters Registration Exercise ends at 5:00pm today, Monday, the 2nd of October, 2023.

“The public is informed that the Commission will not extend the Voters Registration Exercise, the Acting Head of Public Affairs stated

“The Commission, however, assures the General Public that arrangements have been made to ensure that eligible citizens who are in the queue on or before 5:00pm today, are registered tomorrow, Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023. This arrangement will be extended only to eligible applicants in the queue at 5:00pm today, Monday, the 2nd of October, 2023,” Mr. Boadi assured in the statement.

“The Commission wishes to thank the General Public for the cooperation and support during the 21-day Voters Registration Exercise,” the statement concluded.

Below is the full tweet from Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa

From the 2,310 eligible first time voters who have registered in my beloved North Tongu as at yesterday, the data shows that an overwhelming 78.1% used the guarantor system.

Instructively, more than 1,700 did not have a Ghana Card.

All these citizens and far more would have been disenfranchised if Parliament had approved Jean Mensa’s obnoxiously undemocratic C.I. which sought to abolish the guarantor system and make the Ghana Card the sole ID for voter registration.

See how data about the stark reality has exposed the inglorious agenda of the EC Chair and her collaborators to embark on mass voter suppression on a scale never experienced in our country.

Ghana must be a country of opportunity, inclusion and hope for young people, and not cruelty from officialdom whom ironically are paid with our taxes to create fair and better systems.

Source: Today.com.gh