Ashanti Region Records Highest Number Of Challenge Cases In The Limited Registration Exercise
The Ashanti Region recorded probably the highest number of challenge cases in the just ended Limited Registration Exercise with a provisional figure of 2,551, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr Serebour Quaicoo has disclosed.
According to him, he expects the figure to increase in the coming days as collation of figure continues.
“I expect the figure to go up further. For instance, Offinso North as at yesterday recorded 30 challenge cases, but this morning I’m told it has risen to 207. I know eventually it will get to a total of 2,800.”
Speaking in an interview with ghnewsnow kumasi desk Editor Isaac Bediako, Mr Serebour Quaicoo stated that the region witnessed a provisional figure 188,646 new voters registering, adding that the EC Regional office expected a projected figure of 150,000 to 200,000 new voters registering to exercise their franchise in the November general elections.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) last week said some agents of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) abused the challenge process, thus unduly delaying the registration process.
A statement signed by Albert Arhin, National Coordinator of CODEO, said these agents contested the eligibility of almost every registrant on the first day of the Limited Biometric Registration Exercise, which the Electoral Commission expected to capture 1.2 million first-time voters.
Although the challenge process was generally observed in the various centres, the Coalition noted that there were cases where the procedure was exploited by party agents.
“Some party agents, particularly, those representing the NDC and the NPP seemed to be outdoing each other by challenging applicants,” Mr Arhin, a former Director of Elections at the EC, was quoted in the statement.
