The Ashanti Regional Chapter of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed all party executives, registration agents and members to resist any attempt by the Electoral Commission to continue what the party says is the EC’s alien offline District Centre Registration instead of the online District Registration it announced.
According to the party, “this directive is occasioned by the fact that it had been agreed and published that the EC was going to conduct district based online registration with VMS kits. However, without recourse to all relevant stakeholders, the EC decided to adopt the use of offline BVR kits at its District Centres for the registration of eligible voters on the first day of the limited voter registration exercise.”
A statement signed by the Regional Secretary, Kwame Zu said the NDC “finds the explanation of poor internet connectivity across the region unsatisfactory and are compelled to infer sinister motives for the EC’s decision to use the BVR kits instead of the VMS kits which had been extensively discussed and communicated to all stakeholders.”
Below is the full statement
The Ashanti Regional Chapter of the National Democratic Congress directs all party executives, registration agents and members to resist any attempt by the Electoral Commission to continue its alien Offline District Centre registration instead of the online District Centre registration it published and communicated to all relevant stakeholders earlier.
This directive is occasioned by the fact that it had been agreed and published that the EC was going to conduct district based online registration with VMS kits. However, without recourse to all relevant stakeholders, the EC decided to adopt the use of offline BVR kits at its District Centres for the registration of eligible voters on the first day of the limited voter registration exercise.
We find the explanation of poor internet connectivity across the region unsatisfactory and are compelled to infer sinister motives for the EC’s decision to use the BVR kits instead of the VMS kits which had been extensively discussed and communicated to all stakeholders.
The NDC has a civic duty to protect the sanctity of the registration exercise and therefore encourages all members across the region to insist that the EC stays true to its published position of using the VMS kits at its District Centres. We should in our respective districts resist vehemently any attempt to deviate from the use of the VMS kits. This should include but not limited to preventing the EC from using the BVR kits for offline registrations at the District Centres.
Take note that under absolutely no circumstances should the EC be allowed to register a single person with the offline BVR kits at its District Centres tomorrow, the 18th day of June 2019 till the exercise is completed on 7th July, 2019. This directive must and should be adhered to and enforced.
Thank You.
———-Signed ———–
Kwame Zu
(Regional Secretary)
Monday, June 17, 2019
