Ghana News Agency (Accra) – Ghana’s two major political parties – the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) – have urged Ghanaians, especially their supporters, to go out in their numbers to register when the voter registration exercise opens on Tuesday, June 30.
The exercise is expected to end on 6 August 2020.
At The New Patriotic Party’s Acclamation Ceremony on Saturday, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appealed to all eligible Ghanaians to go out and register when the EC begins the compilation of the new voters’ register.
“I am calling on every member and sympathizer of the NPP and, indeed, on all eligible Ghanaians, no matter what party they belong to, to go out and register, so that they can exercise their civic responsibilities on December 7 to elect a government of their choice in a free, fair, peaceful, and transparent election,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo said the pandemic, notwithstanding, Ghanaians had to strengthen the democratic credentials. “I urge you, therefore, my dear friends and colleagues, to go out with the confidence that comes from your government performing well, and running the affairs of the country competently. Tell our story to the Ghanaian people, and tell it often.
“Let us work hard together for a great victory on December 7, and embrace the future and our destiny,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Addressing party supporters after the Supreme Court ruling last Thursday, which gave the Electoral Commission the green light to commence with the voter registration as scheduled, former President John Dramani Mahama, the NDC’s flagbearer for Election 2020, said the right to vote should not be curtailed.
“We cannot throw our hands up in despair because the fight to insist on inclusion has been temporarily derailed by this ruling. We can still make our voices heard even if we must endure some inconvenience and frustration,” he said.
“The process may be made deliberately slow and painful, but I encourage you all to endure it in so far as it would enable you to vote …”
Former President Mahama urged those who had the Ghana Card to assist others by guaranteeing for them even if it took a bit more of their time.
“See this as a civic duty and your contribution to the effort to preserve the right to vote,” he said.
Bernard Mornah, national chairman of the People’s National Convention, also charged Ghanaians to take possession of their right by registering for the voter ID card.
In a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency at the weekend, he called on the citizenry to ensure they got registered.
“We implore and call on all Ghanaians to go out in their numbers to register for the new Voter ID Card”.
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