Don't perceive biometric voters registration as violent exercise

Gomoa West Electoral Officer, Mr Stephen Bertino Baabereyir, has urged media practitioners to stop making Ghanaians to perceive the recently ended biometric voters registration as a violent exercise.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Apam on the success story of the exercise in the District, Mr Baabereyir said it was unfortunate that some media practitioners had decided to dwell their reports on some few challenges that the exercise faced.

This, he pointed out was making some Ghanaians perceive the exercise as violent.

He pointed out that biometric voters registration was the most credible and successful registration exercise the Electoral Commission had ever conducted.

He said though the biometric voters registration exercise was being practised in the country for the first time, the Electoral Commission passed the test with distinction.

“They deserve commendation rather than condemnation,” he said.

Mr Baabereyir noted that some violence recorded at some registration centres were the making of some politicians who wanted to circumvent the electoral laws to exploit them to their advantages.

He said that led to bussing electorate from other parts to their constituencies to register and also engaging minors and non-Ghanaians to register.

On breakdown of machines, the Electoral Officer said it was above the control of the EC. “Even human beings can fall ill unexpectedly at any time how much more machines,” he pointed out.

Mr Baabereyir advised the registered voters to go and check their names when the registers were exhibited.

The Electoral Officer advised the political parties to intensify education on the voting process to minimise waste of votes.

He pointed out that during the 2008 election ballot papers wasted by the voters were more than ballots cast for some presidential candidates.

“Let us check this bad practice,” he said.

Mr Baabereyir said 21,650 electorates registered in the first phase, 19,490 in phase two and 14,036 in phase three. - GNA