Dr. Eric Nkansah
In a move to accommodate the challenges faced during the ongoing limited voter registration exercise, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has extended the permission period for students aged 18 and above in Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) to participate in the exercise.
According to a statement from the GES, the Management has extended the permission period for these students to Tuesday, 14th May, 2024, to enable them to complete their registration.
This comes after the Electoral Commission (EC) had previously faced delays in the first two days of the exercise.
The EC has also assured stakeholders that the May 27 deadline for the limited voter registration exercise could be extended if there is a backlog of voters by the end of the deadline.
“The Commission assures its stakeholders that should there be a backlog of voters at the end of the twenty-one (21) day process, the registration exercise will be extended beyond the 27th of May, 2024 deadline,” the EC stated in a statement issued on Wednesday, May 8.
Furthermore, the EC has instructed its district officers to transition to the offline mode of registration starting Thursday, May 9, 2024, following some network issues the commission encountered on Wednesday afternoon, which affected the online mode of registration.
“The Commission apologises for the delays experienced this afternoon,” the EC stated.
The extension of the permission period for SHS/SHTS students and the EC’s assurance to extend the registration deadline, if necessary, are aimed at ensuring that all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming elections.
By Vincent Kubi