The special voting exercise ongoing in polling stations across all 275 constituencies, is experiencing some challenges.
While the Electoral Commission (EC) is insisting persons who registered for special voting should be allowed to vote at the various constituencies they had been designated to, Citi News’ Fred Djabanor who reported from Klottey Korle, stated that he was not allowed to vote because the returning officer indicated that he was not a registered voter in that particular constituency.
“We were informed by the returning officer here at the voting centre that if you are not a registered voter within the Klottey Korle constituency, you cannot vote despite the fact that your name is on the special list of voters. We are told that per the directives you are suppose to go back to your constituency where you registered and go check whether you will be allowed to vote. People who are not original voters here cannot vote,” Fred reported.
He further stated that, some police and military personnel who could not find their names on the special voters list were very upset.
“Some Police and security personnel are very angry. According to them, their names were on the special voters’ list but when they came here; they were told their names were not here and they cannot vote.”
Some security personnel who spoke to Citi News also expressed their frustrations.
One security official said : “I’m going to the North, how can I go there, come back to Accra on December 7, vote and go back?”
Another said; “If we are being treated like this, how much more a pure water seller on December 7?”
Responding to these concerns, the Public Relations Officer of the Electoral Commission, Eric Dzapasu, said the Commission will take measures to immediately resolve the challenges.
He believes the returning officer at Klottey Korle might have erred in refusing to allow the affected persons to cast their ballot.
Meanwhile Citi News’ Northern Regional correspondent, Abdul Karim Natogmah, reported that about 70 police personnel could not find their names on the special voters’ list, despite registering for the exercise.
He said the Tamale Metro Chief Police Commander could also not find his name on the special voters’ list.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
