Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa will tomorrow, Monday, June 28, 2020, update the general public on her outfit’s readiness to compile a new voters’ register.
A statement from the electoral management body said the address which will be live on major television channels will come off at 5:30 pm.
Already, the EC has released the list of the registration centres for the exercise which will begin on June 30 and end on August 6, 2020.
“Ahead of the 2020 registration exercise, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Jean Mensa will address the public on the Commission’s preparedness towards the 2020 voters registration exercise, the address will be aired live on major TV and Radio networks throughout the country,” the EC’s statement said.
The registration process is being undertaken after the Supreme Court gave clearance to the EC to compile the register.
Registration amidst COVID-19
Some health professionals in the country have written an open letter to the Electoral Commission warning of more COVID-19 deaths should a mass voter registration exercise be held.
The health professionals comprising doctors, nurses, laboratory professionals among others insisted that the exercise has the potential of compromising the health of the Ghanaian population hence must be halted.
“We have never expected our work as health professionals to be easy, but neither do we expect it to be suicidal. We wish to advise that caution is exercised in undertaking any activity that has the potential to accelerate the spread of COVID-19. We believe the impending mass registration exercise falls in this category and has the potential to compromise the health and wellbeing of the population leading to unwanted pain, trauma, and possibly deaths as the past few days have shown.”
But a Deputy Minister for Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye has said, the Commission has demonstrated its readiness to ensure compliance with COVID-19 preventive protocols during the exercise.
He says the Commission has procured the needed personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of its personnel and the public during the exercise.
CODEO deploys observers
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has deployed 100 observers for the exercise.
According to CODEO, its observation is to promote electoral transparency and enhance public confidence and trust in the process.
It further entreated the general public to play their part in ensuring the registration exercise is peaceful and successful.
“The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), has deployed a total of 100 observers for the upcoming 2020 Biometric Voter Registration Exercise (BVR) to be carried out by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) from June 30 to August 6. The CODEO observers will be undertaking their observation duties in 100 purposively selected constituencies throughout the country.”
“Ahead of their deployment, all the observers underwent a one-day training to enable them to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times during observation,” the coalition further added.