We Didn't Factor Registration On Electoral Area Basis In Our Budget And Workplan - Jean Mensa To Critics

Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Madam Jean Mensa has denied claims that it is seeking to disenfranchise voters in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise."We wish to assure the citizens that we have their best interest at heart.

It is in our interest to register them all," she stated in her speech.The largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) had accused the Commission of making it difficult for first-time voters in their strongholds to register by deliberately sending faulty registration machines to those areas.The NDC also accused the EC of colluding with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to disenfranchise eligible voters.However, the EC has debunked these claims, saying that the issue of faulty devices was faced across all 16 regions except Savannah."As you may know, we experienced temporary breaks in the registration exercise in the first two (2) days due to a number of issues ranging from disruptions to the internet, power outages, rainfall and in a few instances faulty kits.

I am happy tonote that the registration exercise is proceeding well," she noted.Addressing the press in its 'Let The Citizen Know' series to update citizens on the registration exercise, the EC’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, indicated that the allegations are untrue but acknowledged that there are challenges that have been addressed and that the registration is going smoothly.District level registrationJean Mensa says the EC's present circumstance made it impossible to conduct registration on electoral area basis.

Our 2023 workplan and budget is based on a continuous voters’ registration exercise in our district offices.

We did not factor registration on electoral area basis in our 2023 budget and workplan.

You are all aware that our budget and workplan is approved by Parliament.

As mentioned, our plan for 2024 is to undertake a mop up registration exercise in difficult to access areas after our continuous registration in our district offices.