Expunge names of unqualified persons from register – EC urged

The Executives of the Odododiodioo constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Greater Accra have called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to remove the names of 229 persons from the Electoral Register of the area.

In a statement addressed to the Chairman of the EC and signed by Mr. Daniel Okai, Constituency Chairman, the executives said they wished to bring to the notice of the EC a compilation of the names of people they had valid reasons to believe that they should not be included in the voters register in some centres of the constituency.

It explained that as individuals and collectively as a party, they have the right to point out any objections pertaining to the register that had been exhibited.

The EC had earlier appealed to Ghanaians to help in cleaning the register since it was statically incorrect.

Mr. Okai said, it was in response to that appeal and their statutory right as Ghanaians to help make the Voters Register credible that they were submitting the set of objections to the inclusion of certain persons in the register for the constituency.

It reiterated that their action was without prejudice to any individual affected in their effort and would be happy if the names were removed and transferred to their original constituencies so that they did not lose their right to vote since lawfully, they could not be registered in the constituency.

The statement noted that some of the affected individuals did not even live in Accra and in the constituency but were recruited for the purpose during the various registration exercises using the various markets as their place of abode.

The Executives of the Odododiodioo NDC stated that if the people were resident in the various markets as they claimed as their residence then these areas should be a hive of constant activity for 24 hours non-stop, which was not the case.

It further explained that the second category of people they had objected to, were in transit in Accra and took the opportunity to register in the constituency as could be attested by the various addresses they gave to the Registration Officials.

Mr. Okai called for the expunging of the names of the affected persons mostly in the Korle Wonko Electoral Area from the register and then transferred to their appropriate constituencies.

The list of those affected with the reasons for their objection, electoral area, centre code, name of station, name of the individual, age, where they could be found in the register, addresses and the reasons why their inclusion in the register was objected to, was attached to the statement presented to the Ashiedu Keteke District Electoral Officer, Nana Oduro Numapau in Accra on Saturday.

The District Electoral Officer promised to forward the message to the Chairman of the EC on Monday.

He thanked Mr. Okai and his executive for their handling of electoral issues always using the legitimate way.