Accra, March 14, GNA - The nationwide replacement of lost, defaced or badly damaged Voter Identification Cards started with the usual apathy on Friday as most of the centres in Accra recorded low patronage. The exercise, which runs from Friday, March 14 to Saturday, March 23 between 0700 hours and 1800 hours daily, including weekends, forms part of preparation by the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure that every eligible Ghanaian participates in Elections 2008.
A visit to some of the replacement centres by Ghana News Agency revealed low turnout.
To ensure convenience, replacement centres have been located at least in each Electoral Area for all eligible voters who have these problems to appear personally and provide personal data to the Replacement Officer.
According to the EC after the collection of data on applicants, processing and preparation of the new voter ID Cards would take place at the Head Office of the EC. Appropriate measures would then be put in place to deliver the new cards to applicants before the Revision of the Voters' Register.
Applicants who would be unable to have their cards during that period would have the opportunity to do so during the Exhibition of the Voters' Register.
The rationale behind this exercise, according to the EC, is to discourage voters in that category from the temptation of double registration, which is a punishable offence, and offenders are liable for prosecution.
The EC said this arrangement did not constitute a transfer of vote. The EC will put measures in place later for voters who have moved residence to transfer their votes to enable them to vote where they are currently resident.