The Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has raised concerns over the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to charge voters a fee of GH₵0.50 to verify their registration details through a short code.
This comes after the EC introduced a short code *71151# as an alternative means for voters to confirm if their names are in the voters’ register ahead of the 2024 general election.
However, Mr Dafeamekpor has a problem with the charge attached to the process.
In a post on X, the MP questioned the rationale behind the fee, considering that Parliament has already approved the budget for the voter registration exercise.
“Why is the Electoral Commission levying a fee of GH₵0.50 on every registered voter before they can check their name in the provisional register using the shortcode 71151#? Who is getting these monies?” he asked.
Why is the Electoral Commission levying a fee of Ghc0.50 every Registered Voter before the person can check his or her Name in the Provisional Register using the Short Code: *711*51#? Who is getting these moneys? Parliament has already approved EC’s Budget for this Exercise. The… pic.twitter.com/3FXrP1m9Ke
— Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq. MP. (@etsedafeamekpor) August 20, 2024
He argued that citizens should not be required to pay additional fees to verify their names in the voter register, even if the process is conducted electronically.
The MP expressed concern over the transparency of the fee collection and the potential financial burden on voters.
The exercise which started today is expected to end on August 27, 2024.
According to Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Corporate Services, Dr Bossman Asare, the exercise is to help voters locate their respective polling stations.
This way, on December 7, it would be easier for individuals to go to their centre to cast their ballot thereby making the process stress-free.
Source: myjoyonline.com
