<<Print>>

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday spelt out qualification criteria for participation in the biometric voter registration exercise, fixed tentatively for the first phase from March 24-April 2, across the country. Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, EC Chairman who spelt out the criteria in Accra said a prospective voter is required to provide their exact date of birth, their current residential address as well as their hometown address. The applicant is also required to show evidence of eligibility to register by providing a birth certificate, passport, baptismal card, a driver�s license or a national health insurance card, the national identity card or the existing voter�s identity card. Dr Afari Gyan said for security reasons all 10 fingers of applicants as well as their images would be captured digitally as part of the registration exercise.�In the event of an applicant having lost some fingers, the fingerprints of the available fingers will be captured. Special arrangements will also be made for the registration of persons without fingers,� the EC Chairman explained. He said after the registration formalities, applicants would receive a new Voter�s Identity Card which contained their photograph and a barcode containing their unique ID card number. Dr Afari Gyan, said measures had been taken to ensure that data captured during the registration process is secured. To this end; a technical committee had been set up comprising staff of the EC and representatives from the political parties to examine ways of achieving data security. He assured stakeholders in Ghana�s electoral system that the biometric voter register would be ready for the December polls. On the time table for the registration exercise, Dr Afari Gyan said the exercise would start on Saturday March 24, and end on Saturday May 5. He said for operational purposes, the nationwide exercise would be carried out in four phases with each phase lasting for a maximum of 10 days with weekends inclusive. The EC Chairman said phase one of the registration exercise would start on March 24-April 2; the second phase continuing almost immediately from April 4-13; third phase from April 15-24 and the final phase running from April 26-May 5. He said four polling stations would be combined to form a cluster of registration points and advised all Ghanaians of 18 years and above with sound mind to take advantage of the opportunity to register. Dr Afari Gyan cautioned that the exercise would not be extended so all should take advantage of it. As part of the registration process, a pilot project of the biometric registration is expected to be carried out in all the Regions at a yet to be announced date.