Ablekuma North: Software setup challenges delay voters’ registration

Delays in setting up the software for registration of new voters in the Ablekuma North District Office of the Electoral Commission delayed the commencement of the exercise for more than two hours. Voting was advertised to commence at 0700 hours on Tuesday, but the first person, who had arrived at the registration centre as early as 0600 hours, went through the process at about 0950 hours. Staff of the EC had prepared and were ready to register voters by 0700 hours, but the technical hitch hampered their quest to begin the exercise on time. 'All our logistics are intact, but we are only waiting for the set up.' Mr Francis Opoku, EC Officer in charge of Ablekuma North Municipality, told the Ghana News Agency in an earlier interview. Mr Opoku said the Commission had targeted registering more than 3,600 new voters in the Municipality, adding that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure a smooth exercise throughout the 21-day period. 'We have a standby generator so in the event that the lights go of f, registration will continue,' he said. Turnout at the Ablekuma North registration centre was relatively high as at least 100 applicants, mainly young people who had turned 18 years, were seated prior to the official commencement of the exercise. Agents and constituency officers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) actively coordinated their activities on the ground. Mr Frederick Green, Ablekuma North Constituency Secretary, NPP, said the Party had deployed teams to visit households to encourage qualified voters to participate in the exercise. He said the Party acknowledged the delays experienced on the first day of the exercise and expressed hope that the situation would improve in subsequent days. Mr Daniel Torniyigah, Director of Elections, NDC, Ablekuma North, said the Party was satisfied with the collaboration with the EC thus far and hoped for a successful exercise in the entire registration period. 'So far so good. We have agreed that the EC will brief the parties every morning,' he said. Source: Ghana News Agency