PPP Backs Calls For creation Of More Registration Centres

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has added its voice to the calls on the Electoral Commission (EC) to create more registration centres for the upcoming nationwide limited voters registration exercise.

The election management body last Thursday at a press briefing announced that it would be registering new voters from September 12 to October 2, 2023 which will take place in 268 district offices of the commission.

However, the PPP in a statement issued and signed by the National Secretary of the party, Remy Paa Kow Edmundson, has appealed to the EC to create more registration centres within the districts aside from its 268 offices for the exercise.

That, it said, would enable people who lived outside the district capitals to register instead of travelling long distances to the EC district offices to do so.

It further called on the EC to work with other organisations, such as the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and political parties to educate and engage the public about the importance of the District Level Election (DLEs) slated for December 19, 2023.

The party said over the years, voter turnout in the DLEs have been low and, therefore, there was a need for heightened awareness creation on the local level elections for Ghanaians to appreciate how important it was.

It also called for a fixed date for the DLE, just like the Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

“Right now, the dates for the DLE keep changing, and that makes it hard for candidates and voters to plan ahead.

If we have a set date, it will make things a lot easier and more organised,” it observed.

Background

The DLE is to elect assembly and Unit Committee members for the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country.

The DLE is held every four years and takes place a year to the Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Since 1988, Ghana has had eight successive local level elections to engender greater citizens’ participation in the process.