By: Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi
Cecilia Abena Dapaah,MP for Bantama
MEMBER OF Parliament for Bantama, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah has appealed to all eligible voters to ensure that they register for the biometric voter Identity card during the forthcoming nationwide biometric registration exercise.
She said it would enable them to exercise their franchise in the 2012 elections, stressing that under no circumstance would a voter be able to vote without a biometric voter ID card.
Mrs. Dapaah told a section of her constituents during the commissioning of a GH¢1220,000.00 ultra modern toilet facility at Bantama last week Thursday, that it was important that eligible voters go for the biometric ID card because the old voter ID would not be valid for the December 2012 elections and any other future elections in the country.
The MP also stressed that it was not true that the biometric ID cards can be used to vote in elections, together with the old voter ID card.
She also disabused the minds of eligible voters of rumours doing the rounds that that they (eligible voters) could contract cancer if their fingers are pressed on the machine, to get their finger prints in the biometric registration exercise, which begins on Saturday March 24 and ends on Saturday May 5, 2012, in four Phases throughout the country.
The Bantama law maker urged the electorate across the country to make time and go through the registration process, saying they should be ready to provide the necessary requirements to get them properly registered.
She mentioned some of the requirements as exact date of birth, their current residential address, as well as hometown address and to show evidence of eligibility to register by providing a birth certificate, passport, baptismal card, a driver’s license or a national health insurance card, the national ID card or the existing voter ID card.
The MP also cautioned prospective voters not to leave the registration centres without their new voter’s ID card which contains their photograph and a barcode containing their unique ID card number, and which new card must be processed and delivered instantly after the registration formalities.
Mrs. Cecilia Dapaah reminded voters that the nationwide exercise will be carried out in four phases with each phase lasting for a maximum of ten days, weekends inclusive.
Phase one of the registration exercise commences on March 24 and ends on April 2nd, with the second phase continuing almost immediately from April 4 to 13, 2012.
The third phase of the registration will start on April 15 and end on April 24 with the final phase of the registration running from April 26 to May 5.
