Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Peter Mac Manu is making a case for the Ghana Card to be used as the sole document for voter registration.
In his view, the Ghana Card has a system to check age fraud and also deal with foreigners who attempt to take part in Ghana’s elections.
Contributing to a discussion on the use of technology at a forum held at the University of Ghana on Thursday, June 15, he said “We have a voter registration that is to be taken which we have accepted to be technology based. But the issue of who qualifies to be on a register is still a matter that needs to be settled.
“I think that the use of other means like the guarantor system is fraught with violence at the polling station and we should not encourage that in this modern technological era when we have Ghana Card, a solid technology behind that to eliminate age cheating in elections and registration and foreigners registering on our register. I think the use of Ghana, however difficult it is, we must encourage it.”
It is recalled that the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa earlier told Parliament that the use of the Ghana Card as the sole identification document for voter registration would ensure a credible voter roll.
She said it would also prevent minors and foreigners from getting onto the electoral register to vote.
Briefing Parliament on the Constitutional Instrument (CI) that was seeking to make the Ghana Card the only document for voter registration, on Tuesday, February 28 Madam Jean Mensa said “The use of only Ghana Card will ensure and guarantee the credibility of the register and elections, prevent enrolment of minors, prevent foreigners from voting, eliminate the guarantor system which is prone to abuse.”
“The Ghana Card will not be used for voting in 2024, it will be used to register,” she said.
However, Parliament on Friday, March 31 rejected the Public Elections (Registration of Voters ) Regulations, 2023 Constitutional Instrument (CI) proposed by the EC.