Ghana’s Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Jean Mensa, has made a strong case for the passage of the Constitutional Instrument (CI) to adopt the Ghana Card as the sole registration document.
Appearing before the Parliament Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, she said contrary to claims that the use of Ghana cards will disenfranchise eligible voters, the process would prevent foreigners, minors and unqualified persons from registering for the voters’ ID card.
She said, ”the use of the Ghana card as the sole means of identification will prevent foreigners and minors from getting onto our voters’ register. More especially, it will prevent unqualified persons from influencing our elections and having a say as to who should govern our country”.
She said the issue bothers Ghana’s sovereignty and that only Ghanaians must be allowed to vote in our elections ”and we call on our honourable members to support our efforts to prevent foreigners and minors from getting into our electoral role”.
”By using the Ghana card as the main source of documentation for the continuous registration, the EC would be conforming to the legislative instrument passed by parliament namely, the National Identity Register Regulations 2011 L.I 2111. Regulation 7 (1) says that a National Identity Card issued to an individual shall be used for a number of transactions where identification is required.”
According to her, the National Identification Authority (NIA) has assured the EC that all eligible persons who do not have the Ghana card will get their Ghana card before the registration begins.
She said some 16 million Ghanaians have so far been registered and have their Ghana cards.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
