About 8,000 eligible Ghanaian voters have so far been registered in the on-going new voters' registration exercise in fifteen (15) centers in the Ellembelle Constituency of the Western Region.

The above figure was achieved during the first phase of the 38-day nationwide registration exercise ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections slated for December 7, 2020. Phase began on June 30 and ended on July 5.

The fifteen centers included; Teleku-Bokazo Community A, Teleku-Bokazo Community B, Teleku-Bokazo primary school, Anokyi Methodist Primary School, Akonu D/A Primary School, Ankobra Roman Catholic Primary School, Ankobra Methodist Church, Asanta Market center, Bobrama Nursery school, Asanta SDA Primary School 1, Asanta SDA Primary School 2, Bako D/A Primary School, Asanta Catholic Primary School 1, Asanta Catholic Primary School 2, Ngalekyi D/A Primary School.

Millitary prescence

Around 5:50pm on Sunday, July 5, soldiers numbering four were spotted in a green Pick-up vehicle at the Teleku-Bokazo Community Registration Center.

In an exclusive interview with the District Director of Electoral Commission (EC) of Ellembelle, Madam Pearl Klutse, she told this reporter that she had not seen any soldiers at any registration centers she had visited since the exercise commenced.

She, therefore, promised to find out to know if soldiers were visiting some registration centers in Ellembelle District.

General Assesment

Madam Pearl Klutse stated that the phase first of the exercise went on smoothly without any hitches.

"In fact, the first phase went well, we didn't get any disturbances anywhere, I visited most of the centers to do monitoring and everything went on well".

She emphasized that Veronica buckets, sanitizers, tissue papers, thermometers, and liquid soaps have been provided at all registration centers in the District to protect the prospective applicants and registration Officials.

She took the opportunity to advise the eligible voters to observe social distancing protocols and other approved Coronavirus safety protocols at all centers.

"We Social distancing protocols, we are treating every citizen in Ghana and not just residents in Ellembelle, every citizen to take it serious because the COVID-19 is real, we don't want people going to centers and coming back with it so let us ensure that we observe the social distancing protocols", she urged.

"We have provided all the necessary materials. We have been provided with all the necessary materials and we provided at all the centers in the Ellembelle, we have sanitizers there, Veronica buckets there, , tissues to make sure that when you go to any center you wash your hands"

She continued, "Health Professionals are there to check your temperature. Every desk has sanitizer that the applicants use to sanitise their hands. So we should also make sure that we have our nose masks on before we get to the centers".

Public Education

She disclosed that they had done so many public education and promised to continue to intensify it. She commended the only radio station in the area for giving them free airtime to educate the masses about the exercise.

"We have done public education, we are doing more on all the local FMs in Ellembelle District, we have been given them our movement plans so they are aware about where and when we will be. We are also doing dawn and evening publicity to tell them the dates we will move to places or not. West End Radio has given us free airtime and I myself has been going on air to educate the masses, they are also playing our jingle to alert the people about our schedules, West End Radio has our movement plans and from time to time they announce it".

Security

She disclosed that they had deployed police personnel to provide security at all the 29 registration centers in the area.

She, however, said her outfit has engaged 174 registration Officers and commended them for showing a high sense of maturity so far.