By Nana Kwame Bediako
In preparation for the upcoming 2024 general elections on December 7th, the Electoral Commission has organized an exhibition check exercise for all registered voters.
This initiative aims to ensure that all voters are fully eligible to participate in the elections. However, at the Abensu Electoral Area in the Ga North Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, the exercise has seen a disappointing turnout.
The poor participation has been attributed to a general lack of interest among the majority of voters in the area. Many residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the community, citing a lack of improvement over the years as their reason for not engaging in the exercise. According to them, their reluctance to vote stems from the belief that their votes have not led to any meaningful change in their living conditions.
Electoral officers in charge of the exercise also voiced their concerns about the low awareness and participation. They lamented the challenges they face due to the poor communication of the exercise, which has hindered the smooth execution of their duties. The officers explained that they’ve made a concerted effort to increase awareness and encourage more residents to participate.
“The turnout is down. People are not coming to check their names. These are some of the challenges we are facing here,” said one of the exhibition officers. The officer emphasized the need for the announcement of the exercise to reach a wider audience to ensure better participation.
The officer also noted that the current turnout consists mostly of older men and women, with the youth showing little interest in the exhibition. “We are appealing for the announcement to go viral so that people will be able to hear and come and check their names. I’m hoping maybe by Saturday and Sunday, the turnout will be encouraging,” the officer added.
Despite the low turnout, the electoral officers remain hopeful that participation will improve over the weekend. They continue to urge all eligible voters to check their registration status to ensure a smooth and inclusive electoral process on December 7th.
