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Electoral Commission cautions underage persons participating in voter registration exercise
The Electoral Commission (EC) has issued a warning to underage citizens participating in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise, stressing that offenders will face the consequences of the law.
It also urged guardians to advise their underaged wards to stay clear of participating in the process.
“We would like to use this opportunity to entreat parents to advise their wards who are less than 18 years old not to be coerced by anyone to assume a new age and register as a voter because they may find themselves on the wrong side of the law,” the EC Deputy Chairperson in charge of Corporate Services, Dr Eric Bossman Asare said during a press conference in Accra on Thursday.
He further disclosed that the Commission had received evidence of foreigners, minors, and other ineligible persons participating in the registration exercise under the guise of the guarantor system.
According to him, this act was being backed by some political parties.
He thus asked political parties to desist from pushing ineligible people to register, stressing that it would be better if the political parties channeled their influence into helping the EC establish a credible voters’ roll.
Dr Asare reiterated that any ineligible person caught participating in the registration exercise will be brought to the book.
Subsequently, he underscored that the guarantor system had outlived its usefulness owing to abuse over time, and lobbied the populace to support the EC in introducing the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.), which seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole identification card for registration.
“The Electoral Commission believes that the guarantor system has outlived its usefulness, and we are convinced that the time is right for a system that every registrant is identified on his or her own merit rather than another person vouching for the age and nationality of that person.
“We believe this must stop and the parties, the media, CSOs, all of us must support the EC to ensure the laying and the passage of the C.I.”
The EC began the Limited Voters Registration exercise on September 12, 2023, to enable Ghanaians over the age of 18 to register to enable them to vote in the next District Assembly elections.
Eligible voters participating in the exercise are to use either their Ghana Card or passport as proof of identity and if neither is available, applicants are to present two registered voters to guarantee for them.
Since the commencement of the exercise, the Commission reported that 673,276 people have registered, out of 700,000 projected by October 2, 2023.
Dr Asare said he was optimistic that the Commission would meet its projected target since more kits had been distributed to the registration centers in addition to those already available.
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
