Ghana Card for voter registration will block foreigners, minors from voting – Jean Mensa tells Parliament

The Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa has told Parliament that the use of the Ghana Card as the sole identification document for voter registration will ensure a credible voter roll.

She said it will also prevent minors and foreigners from getting onto the electoral register to vote.

Briefing Parliament on the Constitutional Instrument (CI) that is seeking to make the Ghana Card the only document for voter registration, on Tuesday, February 28 Madam Jean Mensa said “The use of only Ghana Card will ensure and guarantee the credibility of the register and elections, prevent enrolment of minors, prevent foreigners from voting, eliminate the guarantor system which is prone to abuse.”

“The Ghana Card will not be used for voting in 2024, it will be used to register,” she said.

Regarding a revelation by Tamale South Member of Parliament Haruna Iddrisu that there were about 3.5million people without Ghana Crad, she said the National Identification Authority (NIA) has told the commission that ” there are 3.5 blank cards in the warehouse, money have been released and funds are being released.”

The Minority have been raising issues against the proposed CI.

On Thursday, February 23, they rejected officials from the EC and the National Identification (NIA) who were in Parliament to brief the House on the proposed CI.

They were expecting Madam Jean Mensa herself to appear.

The Member of Parliament or Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu said that the Minority are opposed to any move by the EC to use the Ghana Card as the sole identification document for voter registration.

He says any such move by the EC will hurt the right to vote and be voted for.

Speaking on the Big Issue via telephone on TV3 Monday, February 27, the former Minority Leader indicated that there are 3.5million people who are without Ghana Card.

He questioned whether the EC is going to deny all these 3.5 million people from exercising their right to vote because they do not have a Ghana Card.

“There is the right to vote and be voted for, the NDC will defend that right,” he said.

“We are contesting the use of Ghana Crad as the sole reference for purposes of getting registered as a voter,” he said.

He stressed “the right to vote and be voted for is sacred. 3.5 million people don’t have the card, can you tell these 3.5 million persons not to vote?”