Sunyani Residents Mix Up Exercises

Some residents in Sunyani municipality have mistaken the on-going exercise by the Electoral Commission to replace torn, defaced or lost voter’s identification cards to be the general registration exercise. The registration exercise is scheduled to start in May to enable prospective voters, including those who have attained the age of 18 since the last elections to exercise their franchise in the impending general election. As a result of the mix-up most of prospective voters have since last Friday flocked replacement centres in the municipality to register their names in order to obtain the voters identification card. During a visit by the GNA to some of the replacement centres on Monday a number of prospective voters were seen receiving education on the difference between the registration and the current replacement exercise. Potential voters that GNA spoke to however called on the Electoral Commission to embark on a massive educational campaign about the exercise to ensure a high turnout. Mr Ofori Mensah, Replacement Officer at Ahenboboano Electoral Area told the GNA the exercise was receiving low patronage. He said only 20 people had come for replacement since the exercise started. At Atoase Electoral Area, Mrs Doris Jawula, Replacement Officer, said 26 people’s identification cards had been replaced. Mr Felix Amoah, Officer at the Akuoko Electoral Area said 24 persons had gone through the exercise. The Replacement Officers said most of the people claimed they had lost their identification cards. They attributed the low turnout of the exercise to misinformation of the public about the exercise and lack of public education on the exercise. “I have to take time to educate potential voters who come to us with the intention to register instead of coming for replacement”, Mrs Jawula said. Reports reaching the GNA offices in Sunyani indicated that other replacement centres within the municipality and in other parts of the region were recording low patronage and the mix up by prospective voters.