Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to reconsider its decision to use the Ghana Card as a sole requirement for identification in registering new voters for the 2024 election.

In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, Mr Kofi Bentil stated that if the EC "goes along this line, we will have a massive problem."

This he stated is because "I can see a long line of people going to sue them [EC] and I think that they will win."

Mr. Bentil's comments come after the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of Corporate Services, warned prospective voters to obtain a Ghana Card since that will be the only requirement for registering to vote in the 2024 elections.

Speaking in an interview on The Pulse on Wednesday, Dr. Bossman Asare said without a Ghana Card, one will not be registered to vote.

This, he said is because the Ghana Card has made an impact in our society with almost 17 million Ghanaians registered for it.

“The Commission in collaboration with our partners took the decision that now let us have the Ghana Card as the main requirement.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/use-of-ghana-card-to-register-as-voter-is-subject-to-being-challenged-ec/

“So what this means is that as soon as you acquire your Ghana Card with a continuous registration, you just go to our district office where you are located then you go and register and your name will be put on the roll of voters,” he said

However, Mr. Bentil insisted that the Electoral Commission does not have the mandate to carry on with such actions. He added that the Electoral Commission's job "constitutionally given, is to facilitate for everyone who is qualified to vote. It is not to restrict so that should be clear."

https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghana-card-is-not-proof-of-citizenship-kofi-bentil/

"In facilitation, they must understand that a voter ID card is not necessary, it is of voter registration and compilation as the constitution has said. Compile a list of persons who are eligible to vote ... however, if the NIA today unreasonably is unable to do its job you cannot say that if the person is a Ghanaian, qualifies on everything and the person does not have NIA card you will not allow them to vote that is not your job," he stressed.

According to Mr. Bentil, per the provisions of the 1992 Constitution, “any means you can use to show that you are Ghanaian is valid” therefore “using Ghana Card as a primary document is illegal.”