YBF CALLS ON THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO OPEN GHANA’S VOTERS REGISTER FOR REGISTRATION OF NEW ELIGIBLE VOTERS

Background

1. Media reports on parliamentary proceedings in recent times, and a scan of Ghana’s current political landscape hints at the possibility of impending by-elections.
2. The last date Ghana’s voter register was opened for registration by the Electoral Commission (EC) was on 9th August 2020, meaning it has been 20 months since Ghanaians had the chance to register.
3. It is reasonable to expect that a significant number of young Ghanaians have reached the eligible voting age of 18 years during this period.
4. Ghana’s Constitution and its Electoral Laws further enjoin the Electoral Commission to organize election within 60 days following the declaration of a by-election by Parliament.
5. We, Youth Bridge Foundation, wish to express concern about the potential to disenfranchise some young Ghanaian citizens who turned 18 years after the 2020 voter registration in the sudden event of parliament’s declaration of vacant seat(s).
6. The Foundation commends the EC for being resolute in the use of its district offices for the 2020 limited voter registration; a decision we trust reduced cost and facilitated the development of structures for continuous voter registration agenda.

Our Single Point Call
Consistent with Article 42 of the 1992 constitution, we call on the EC to urgently and proactively take steps to revise the voters’ register in order to provide ample time for young persons who have attained the eligible voting age of 18 years register and have the opportunity to vote in an eventual by-election.