22.02.12 Ghana Politics and Security
Electoral Commission confident that biometric registration process is on track
With the December 2012 elections only several months away, the chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) emphasised last week at the “Election 2012: The EC's preparations so far” conference that the use of biometrics in the election process was on schedule
to go ahead, and that biometric registration for the elections – to be
conducted
under the watchful eyes of representatives of the various parties and election
officials – will start on 24 March and continue on four “phases” until completion on 5 May.
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan acknowledged that four phases, for different groups of polling stations, were
needed because the 7,000 available registration kits fall well short of the
23,000
or more that are required to register voters across the country in a single
phase.
In addition to providing some of the technical details, Dr. Afari-Gyan - noting
one of the limitations of the registration process - stated that “it is only through vigilance that the registration of foreigners and minors
could be prevented”. Another, more important limitation, is that some eligible voters may be unable
to vote if they are away from their registered polling station on Election Day
because of the current technical limitations.
Special measures are, however, being put in p[lace to support proxy voters and
disabled citizens amongst others Given that the EC's budget is well over 240
million cedis (US$143 million), of which almost 150 million cedis US$89
million) or
over 60 per cent is allocated for registration alone, any mishaps in the
biometric registration process could be embarrassing. It will also damage the
credibility of what are sure to be extremely close elections.
International observers have continued their support for the EC's activities and
the biometric process itself, with the European Union providing seven million
Euros to provide training and education – through the EC, Ghana's National
Commission on Civic Education and the National Media Commission – on biometric
registration. Lets hope that comments made last week by the EU Ambassador in
Ghana, when
revealing this Euro contribution, that Ghana is a “beacon of democracy” in Africa, do not prove to be wide of the mark.
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© 2012 Menas Associates