Long queues and crowded centers characterized the closing day activities as the Electoral Commission yesterday brought to an end the 21-day limited voter registration exercise across the country.

The massive turnout was in sharp contrast to the early days of the exercise where the numbers were not as huge.

In a statement after the close of the exercise yesterday, the EC said, "arrangements have been made to ensure that eligible citizens who are in the queue on or before 5:00 p.m. today,are registered tomorrow, Tuesday, October 3,2023”.

“This arrangement will be extended only to eligible applicants in the queue at 5:00 p.m.” as of yesterday, October 2, 2023, the Commission said adding it would not extend the exercise beyond the October 2 date.

“The public is informed that the commission will not extend the voters registration exercise,” it said.

Ga Central

At the Ga Central Municipal Assembly in the Anyaa Sowutuom Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, the Daily Graphic observed that the centre had eight EC officers working to serve over 150 prospective registrants, reports Diana Mensah. 

Party officials manned the gates, ushering members to the Centre, leaving non-aligned prospective registrants frustrated.

A registrant, who gave his name as Nicolas Addy, said he reported to the centre at 8 a.m. but was yet to be captured onto the list as of 2:38 p.m.

Another, who gave her name as Abigail Nuloo, said,“I came here at 10 a.m. And I am still here at almost 3 p.m.”.

At the Social Welfare Centre, the exercise was said to have started at 8 a.m. With about 11 EC officers in charge of the exercise.

An observer said the massive turnout for the registration was indicative of how Ghanaians procrastinated.

“I am even surprised why we have to wait till the last minute before we show seriousness.

This doesn’t only frustrate EC members but the registrants as well,” he added. 

As of 11:10 a.m., he said the commission had been able to register about 64 registrants for the day.

Registrants at the centre did not seem excited about the whole registration process.

A prospective registrant, Simon Frimpong,20,said he reported at the center around 11 a.m. Following the interventions of his family members.

Another registrant, Nancy Hagan,18,expressed the hope that she would be able to get her voter’s ID before the close of the exercise.

Another registrant, David Sydney, also expressed his dissatisfaction about the whole registration, saying “people moving in and out of the queue is making this whole registration stressful”.

Bawku case Meanwhile, the exercise, which was halted in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region, could not resume as the 21-day nationwide exercise came to an end yesterday, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey.

The exercise in the Bawku Municipality was halted on Thursday, September 14,2023, three days after it had started= following a disagreement over
the creation of a new center in the Bawku township aside from the municipal office of the EC.

The decision to create a new center was to give people the opportunity to register as residents could not move to the municipal EC office to do so due
to the unending conflict in Bawku, which had led to general insecurity in the area.

At the time of filing this report yesterday around 3 p.m., there was no sign of the exercise resuming in the municipality.