The registration of first-time voters at the Tamale Metropolitan office of the Electoral Commission (EC) encountered significant technical difficulties, causing delays in the process until midday. Initially scheduled to commence at 7:00 hours, the registration began around noon, frustrating applicants and officials alike.
Mr. Bismark Nteh, Tamale Metropolitan Director of the EC, explained in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the system malfunctioned, preventing the recording of applicants' particulars despite successfully accessing the system and capturing photographs. He attributed the issue to a nationwide technical challenge, which had reportedly been resolved by engineers from the EC headquarters.
Despite the delay, Mr. Nteh reported that the registration process had been smooth after the technical hitch was addressed, with 15 people registered as of 13:20 hours. He noted that apart from minor disagreements among political parties regarding overcrowding at the registration desk by accompanying individuals, there were no other significant challenges hindering the process.
The Limited Voters' Registration, scheduled to run nationwide from May 7 to 27, aims to register first-time voters, enabling them to participate in upcoming elections. Despite the initial setback, applicants at the registration centre remained patient, calmly awaiting their turn.
Some individuals shared their experiences, revealing that they arrived early for the process but were informed of the delay due to non-functional machines.
