
Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, The Director of Electoral Services at the
Electoral Commission (EC) has said that the Commission’s activities are
exempted from the ban on public gatherings imposed on the country under
EI(64).
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Quaicoe said: “Our understanding is
that it [the ban] doesn’t cover our activities. It is our understanding
that it does not affect our operations. So as it is now, we can still go
ahead. So that is our understanding,”
President Akufo-Addo, on Sunday, March 15, 2020, in a national
address banned all public gatherings including conferences, workshops,
funerals, festivals, political rallies, church activities, and other
related events as part of measures adopted by government to aid stop the
spread of the novel Coronavirus in the country.
Ghana as at the ban, had recorded only six cases of COVID-19.The
President in that broadcast gave an exemption that private burials were
allowed however mourners present must not exceed 25.
Most public activities including that of religious bodies and
government organisations were brought to a halt at the announcement of
this restriction. The National Identification Authority which was
organising its Ghana Card registration exercise at the time was
compelled to suspend the exercise.
In a related development, the Electoral Commission says it will begin
the voter registration exercise next month, June 2020. According to the
commission, the exercise is expected to last for 38 days thus running
till July 2020.
“The Commission has slated the registration exercise to begin from
the last week of June to the end of July 2020. The exercise will start
each day from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. It will take place at all the 33,367
polling stations, which will serve as registration centres nationwide,”
the Commission said in a statement.