Some 0.20% of voter ID applicants challenged

Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, on Wednesday said 37,762 challenge cases, representing 0.20 per cent of the total number of registered voters, were recorded during the recently held Voter Registration Exercise.

From the provisional data, she said, the Oti Region had the highest number of Challenge cases per population, representing 0.51 per cent of registrations, followed by the Ahafo Region translating into 0.38 per cent, and Volta Region with 0.37 per cent.

Speaking at the 9th edition of the “Let The Citizen Know” press briefing, she said, “It is evident that most of the Challenge cases are from border regions except Ahafo.

“It gives reason to assume that the Challenges relate to citizenship issues emanated from the infiltration of foreigners. The Commission is mindful of the infiltration of foreigners at a number of our Registration Centres.

“Additionally, we are aware that some minors have also found their way into the register. We are confident that the Challenge processes initiated at all districts throughout the country will unearth these illegal persons and rid the register of those who do not qualify to be on the register”.

Mrs Mensa gave the assurance that the register that would be used for the 2020 Elections would reflect qualified Ghanaians only.

She said out of the over 16 million provisional figure 61,995 registrants representing 0.37 per cent applicants were without fingerprints.

Mrs Mensa noted that the situation made it impossible for the scanners to capture their fingerprints and that such applicants would be verified on Election Day through Facial Recognition system.

“The Upper East Region had the highest number of this class of Applicants. A total of 9,244 applicants were found to have traumatic fingers.

“The region with the lowest number of trauma cases was the Ahafo Region, which had only 813 persons with traumatic fingers. It is important to explain, that the nature of one’s occupation often accounts for this phenomenon,” she said.

Regarding Persons with Disability, Mrs Mensa said at the end of the exercise 64,966 persons representing 0.56 per cent successfully registered in the exercise.

“We are gratified to note that a significant number of persons with disabilities participated in this Exercise.

“As part of our commitment to ensure that no one was left behind, the Commission made arrangements to cater for a section of our society at all District Offices of the Electoral Commission throughout the country,” she said.

Source: GNA