Ho, Aug. 5, GNA- Registration officers are giving the benefit of the doubt to some people who call to register at registration centres in the Ho Municipality, claiming they have attained the voting age of 18. It was up to observers and the public to challenge the eligibility of such people. This was the consensus by three Registration Officers who spoke separately to the Ghana News Agency at their Registration Centres in the Municipality.

The Registration Officers were Ms Vivian Apau of the E.P. Primary Centre Kpoanyigba, Bankoe, The Reverend Gershon Lokko, Electoral Commission Centre and Mr Samuel Lawson Market Square Centre Ahoe. Rev. Lokko said ideally a birth certificate or baptismal certificate could help authenticate fictitious birth claims. He however observed that birth registration is low in the country, while the proof of one's age with a birth certificate is not mandatory. Rev. Lokko said much depended on "moral suasion".

On Sunday a total of 676 eligible voters had registered at the three centres, which is part of the six designated Registration centres in Ho, since the revision exercise began on Thursday July 31, 2008. The other centres are Rural Training Centre, Bankoe, R.C. Primary Agbasiafe Dome and Heve Lower Primary. The revision was to allow those who have attained the minimum voting age of 18 years since the last registration in 2004 to register to be able to vote in this year's General Election on December 7. Figures made available to the GNA by Ms. Apau, at the E.P. Primary Kpoanyigba Centre showed that a total of 265 people were registered as at 1418 hours on Sunday.

Excluding those registered on Sunday, a total of 82 of those registered at the Kpoanyigba Centre were 18 years old, 36 were 19 years old and 71 were between 20 and 70 years old. The Electoral Commission Centre registered a total of 228 people excluding those being registered on Sunday, Rev. Lokko told the GNA. At the Ahoe market Centre, Mr Lawson, said a total of 183 people were registered up to Saturday, July 2. He said 20 percent of those registered so far at the Centre were between 18 and 19 years old.