Radio Progress Online

NDC Youth Activist Raises Concerns Over Online Voter Registration

                                           Citizen journalist

Kipo Elijah Bakari, former Sawla – Tuna –Kalba constituency Communication officer and   a youth activist of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has raised concerns over the ongoing online voter registration exercise being conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC). In a letter addressed to the party's leadership, He alleged that the EC is in bed with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and that the online registration process is plagued with challenges.

 Kipo Elijah stated that the NDC is unable to determine which telecommunication company is providing internet service to the EC for the registration exercise. He also highlighted the challenges being faced by other registration centers in accessing internet service.

In his letter, Kipo Elijah proposed three remedies to address the situation - the EC should either do offline registration or ensure that the exercise is smooth, the NDC IT team should work with that of the EC, and a third remedy which he did not disclose.

The former communication officer emphasized that the court or judiciary is not an option to resolve the issue. He called on the NDC leadership to take up the matter and ensure that the registration exercise is conducted transparently and in accordance with the law.

The NDC has been critical of the online registration exercise, insisting that it will disenfranchise many eligible voters who do not have access to the internet. The party has called for the exercise to be extended to enable more citizens to register.

The Electoral Commission has defended the online registration exercise, stating that it is a viable option given the current global COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission has also assured the public that the process is transparent and the concerns raised by the NDC will be addressed.