News
All must ensure successful registration exercise
In Ghana, the current constitution, written in 1992 under a chapter on
Representation of the People, states that “Every citizen of Ghana of 18 years or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda”.
This statement gives a right to register and vote and so registration as a voter and participation in public elections and referenda in Ghana is at the discretion of the voter.
The 1992 constitution also established an Electoral Commission (EC), with one of its functions as “to compile the register of voters and revise it at such periods as may be determined by law.”
As a matter of fact, it goes on further to say that the EC is also to undertake programmes for the expansion of the voters register.
It is in fulfilment of this constitutional mandate that the EC has set aside today, Tuesday, June 30, to compile a new voters’ register for the presidential and parliamentary elections later in December this year.
In line with Article 42 and 45 of the 1992 Constitution and C.I.126, Public Election (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Regulation, 2020, the EC maintains that it is discharging its constitutional mandate in compiling a new voters register from June 30 to August 6, 2020.
The new register will replace previous registers and each registered voter will be issued with a biometric voter identity card ahead of the December presidential and parliamentary elections.
According to the Commission, the exercise will be held at all registration centres and district offices of the EC throughout the country.
Before now however, the EC had to battle it out with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), and a number of civil society groups as well as chiefs who were vehemently opposed to the compilation of a new register until the Supreme Court ended the impasse by upholding the position of the EC in its ruling last week.
Now that the feud has ended and the exercise has begun, it would be in the national interest to call on all stakeholders to join forces in making the registration a success.
The Ghanaian Times joins President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to appeal to all Ghanaians above 18 years and of sound mind to turn up in their numbers to participate in the registration exercise beginning today.
We add our voice to the call on all eligible Ghanaians no matter what party they belong to, to go out and register and exercise their civic responsibility on December 7, 2020, to elect a government of their choice in a free, fair, peaceful and transparent election.
While making the appeal however, we wish to remind everyone to strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols in order to avoid contracting the disease during the exercise.
Thankfully, the EC has assured that safety measures, including the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and hand sanitisers as well as the compulsory wearing of face masks by all would be enforced at all designated registration centres throughout the country to protect applicants.
We hope that with this assurance, all qualified Ghanaians would turn up to register to make the exercise a success.
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
