Biometric registration ends, EC hints of an extension

The fourth and final phase of the Biometric Registration Exercise has ended across the country with over 12 million people believed to have registered.

Reports from Citi FM’s correspondents nationwide indicate that the exercise which had otherwise been characterised by violence was smooth and event free with some registration centres recording very low turnout.
There have been calls on the Electoral Commission to extend the days of the exercise to ensure that all eligible voters register.

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission Dr. Kwadjo Afari Gyan has however hinted of a possible extension adding that it would be determined by the final reports received by the Commissions District Officers.

Speaking on Joy Fm on Saturday, Dr. Afari Gyan described the entire exercise as successful and said “we can’t have a blanket extension at all the centres because people are calling for it, if we get the proposals from our District Officials, we’d study it and if necessary, extend the days.

“There were problems from the beginning, they were not unexpected. There were allegations that because of machine failures, shortage of electoral materials etc, there should be an extension.

“We are not going to take the calls from politicians to extend the exercise, we are waiting for the proposals from our officials and take a decision on that if the need be.”

The exercise began on Saturday March 24 and after 40 days statistics available by the end of the third phase has it that about 10.5 million people had registered and out of these about 8,121 cases of multiple registration involving 2,864 individuals had also been detected.

Source Citi News Ghana

Category: Politics