Story: Jasmine Afari-Mintah
ABOUT 10,000 people have registered without their pictures taken for the upcoming general elections at some registration centres in the Accra metropolis.
As at 8:00 am of the last day for the registration, when the Daily Graphic visited some centres thousands had thronged the various centres to queue for registration.
Centres visited included the Nunqua Traditional Authority, Nunqua Grace Academy, James Town City Engineers, Teshie 11 and 12 JHS and the Chorkor Mamprobi electoral Areas.
Four of these centres lacked adequate logistics such as films and printing papers and had longer queues than expected of a last day.
This, according to some registration officials, accounted for the lack of pictures and also contributed to the slow pace at which registration at these centres took place.
According to the registration officer at the Nunqua Traditional Authority, Mr Jacob Affotey, they had registered about five thousand people for the past five days without their pictures taken.
He said films at both centres in the Krowor electoral areas got finished and they notified the district electoral officer to that effect but were told to register without pictures.
There were three categories of queues at his centre – those who were giving number cards and, therefore, kept vigil at the centre; those who have just turned 18—20 and the last category was made up of those who were 20 and above and had their cards missing.
At the Teshie 11 and 12 JHS, there was only one registrar, a shader and a laminator who was helping in the registration because no pictures were taken, which the registration officer, Mr Fracis Ayim, said was woefully inadequate.
He said they had registered about 3000 people without pictures as at 11:30am this morning and thousands were seen in two long ques waiting for their turn.
The James Town City Engineers registration centre had no problem with logistics, as the District Electoral Officer, Nana Oduro Numapau said they had been given adequate films and registration forms.
“ We made the pregnant women and those with babies come first and as you see the registration is progressing withouot any hindrance,” he added.
He, however, gave the assurance that adequate security was being maintained till the close of the day, adding that the police who were assigned to the various centres were doing a good job.
At the Chorkor and Manprobi electoral areas however, few people were seen queued and this repoter was told a similar story by the registration officer that they had run out of films and printing papers for the past four days.
It was observed that most of the prospective voters had come to the centres as early as 4.30 am to avoid long queues but ended up in that situation as some people already there had secured places for their friends and relatives who came to cross the queue.
Most of the registration officers expressed satisfaction on how the exercise was moving but said much as they tried to register the people the number kept swelling.
last day for registration
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