The lack of adequate knowledge to effectively operate the biometric registration machines on the part of some of the biometric registration officials is the major challenge faced by the Electoral Commission (EC) in the Upper West Region.

Mr. Yahaya Mahama, Regional Director of the EC disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa on Monday.

He however gave the assurance that measures were being put in place by the EC to ensure that the situation did not translate into any problem that would affect the smooth running of the exercise in the region.

Mr. Mahama noted that all the operators of the machines were trained on how to use the machines but pointed out that in every human activity avoiding such challenges totally was not an easy thing to do.

Mr. Mahama who could not readily provide figures for the turnout said he was however not disappointed with the response so far.

The EC Regional Director said so far the eligibility of some people to partake in the biometric voter registration exercise had been challenged in some areas through the EC challenge forms, adding that the EC would look into those cases in order to have them resolved.

He expressed the hope that by the end of the 40 days, everybody would have been captured on the register and appealed to the people not to sit in their houses but move out to their polling stations with their documents and register.

The biometric voter registration exercise started on Saturday, March 24, and would end on May 5, 2012.