The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has urged Ghanaians of eligible age to register in the upcoming limited voters’ registration exercise.

The registration which will begin on September 12 is to allow those who have become eligible to vote to place their names in the voters register. It will also allow for lost voter ID card replacement and an opportunity to transfer one’s vote from one polling station to a new polling station.

Describing the exercise as one “that goes to the heart of democracy”, Mr. Mahama stated that it is the only viable avenue to ensure the removal of the ruling party – which he accuses of gross mismanagement of the economy – in the next general elections.

Addressing the nation in a live Facebook broadcast on Wednesday, September 6, he noted that the exercise is not just a basic civic duty but one that puts the power to shape Ghana’s future in the hands of ordinary citizens.

“Registering and acquiring a voter ID card to vote in the December 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections is not just a basic civic duty. As young people, we hold immense power in our hands. The upcoming limited voter registration exercise by the Electoral Commission is, therefore, an opportunity to start the process towards making your voices heard and shaping the future of Ghana.

“As a people, it is the starting point in our quest to bring about real change in our country. You and I are responsible for using our votes wisely, holding our leaders accountable, and demanding the change we desperately need. It is the surest way to secure our democracy.

“Your vote in 2024 will symbolise your hope for a better Ghana, a determination to overcome the challenges we face, and your commitment to help build the Ghana we want together – a Ghana that guarantees you, your children, your siblings, and our unborn generation a brighter and sustainable future with well-paying jobs.

“But that will only happen when you acquire a voter ID card and cast your vote for the NDC in that crucial election on December 7, 2024,” he said.

He has therefore urged Ghanaians in Ghana and beyond to “start making the necessary arrangements to register and get your voter ID card.”

Meanwhile, he has joined calls to get the Electoral Commission to facilitate the registration exercise in all electoral areas for easy access and has challenged the EC to be transparent with the processes preceding the start of the limited voter registration exercise, the replacement of voter ID cards, and the transfer of votes.

“As has been requested in a formal letter to the Commission by the General Secretary of the NDC, we want to know when the names and pictures of the Registration Supervisors, Registration Officers, Registration Assistants, and other officials for the exercises will be published at the district level, as stipulated by the EC regulations. We have also requested information on the exact number and distribution of workstations, registration kits, and other logistics.

“It is also our recommendation that in line with Regulation 2(2b) of C.I. 91, as amended by C.I. 126, the Commission listens to calls for the extension of the exercise to take place in the electoral areas and not be limited to the district offices of the Commission. This will curb many inconveniences, including transportation, lack of money to move from distant locations, and access,” he added.

“Let me urge all my fellow citizens, especially the youth, to take this exercise seriously. It is your opportunity to hold your leaders accountable. It is about your rights; it is about your future! It is about our dear nation, Ghana,” he said.