The Ghana Card is emphasized by the Electoral Commission (EC) as crucial for preventing conflicts during voter registration.

The Electoral Commission (EC) asserts that relying solely on the Ghana Card for elections in the future will prevent the confrontations observed during the recent voter transfer exercise.

During the recent voter transfer exercise, there were several incidents of confusion and violence, notably in Weija, where the son of the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, was injured.

Following a meeting with Civil Society Organizations, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, expressed optimism that Parliament would recognize the necessity of passing a bill to make the Ghana Card the sole requirement for voter registration.

The Commission engaged with over 50 civil society organizations to ensure peaceful upcoming general elections. Jean Mensa, speaking to the media after the meeting, expressed satisfaction with the valuable inputs provided by the CSOs.

She underscored the importance of Parliament adopting the Ghana Card as the exclusive requirement for future elections to prevent the conflicts observed during the recent vote transfer exercise.

The Commission believes this change will streamline voter registration processes, fostering orderly and conflict-free elections, thereby enhancing credibility.

“We have just concluded the voter transfer exercise, which overall went well. However, we did observe some unrest and conflicts at certain centers. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. We hope to address the issues surrounding the guarantor system, which led to disputes among parties over the transportation and use of guarantors at polling stations.

“We hope that in the future, Parliament will support the EC’s proposal to adopt the Ghana Card as the sole identification document, but this is anticipated after 2024,” she stated.

Meanwhile, Albert Kofi Arhin, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), urged the Electoral Commission to intensify efforts in promoting peace ahead of the elections. He highlighted heightened tensions and desperation among the populace.

“Now that the EC has opened its doors to everyone, especially with the CSOs, we will collaborate closely with the EC to educate the public. This year calls for extra caution due to the nature of the upcoming election,” he emphasized.

“Tensions are high, economic conditions in the country are sometimes precarious, and people are feeling desperate. Therefore, it’s crucial to educate the public about maintaining peace,” he stressed.