A Political show host with The ovision Radio Network (Nkunim Fm), Kofi Atakora, has called for the prosecution of registered voters who Intentionally refuse to vote during National and by-elections over excuses in the country.
According to him, it is unfortunate that most people register for the Voters Identity Card, meant for voting but most Ghanaians refuse to vote and uses the card for other businesses whilst others ignore voting over neglect by political parties.
Speaking on the Continues low turnout in District Assembly and General elections in Ghana, Kofi Atakora, who doubles as news editor for the Asamankese base Radio station noted that the Electoral Commission spend millions of the tax payer’s money to print voter ID cards as well as Ballot papers and other election materials base on number of eligible voters in the register but most refuse to vote and decried the high cost of conducting elections in the country.
He added, ” its time to cut cost in the election and we can only do that by removing names of people who are found in register but have not vote in any election for two or three times. I support the prosecution of such people, they should be sent to court and fine at least ¢300 so that we will all make voting a priority”.
The broadcaster in the Electronic media reminded Ghanaians of their Constitutional right which states that ” Every Citizen of Ghana eighteen years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda.”
Kofi Atakora revealed that the cost of the 2016 election was over 12 dollars per voter compared to 9 dollars in Nigeria and 5 dollars Tanzania in 2015 and noted that the unjustifiably high per voter cost of Ghana’s general elections pegged at $12.03 per voter in 2016 was expensive.
A total of about 15,712,499 eligible voters were expected to participate in the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections but EC recorded 49% voter turnout, lowest since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy when its first election was held in 1992.
The 2016 elections are 35 times what it cost in Ghana 2004 according to figures from Ghana’s previous elections.
The Electoral Commission initially presented a 1.2 billion cedis budget but that was slashed by as much as 400 million cedis to 826 million cedis by Parliament. Donor money from organizations such as the European Union also supplement the EC’s budget.
Previous elections
It is important to look at how much the cost of the elections has risen over the years. In 2004, the elections cost 23.5 million cedis while the 2008 elections cost 138 million cedis.
But in 2012, it cost us 515 million cedis; representing a 377 million cedi rise from the 2008 elections which included a run-off.
The rise for the cost of Ghana’s election from the year 2004 to 2008 was an estimated 487% considering the figures. Ghana needed 487% more money in 2008 than they used for the 2004 election.
The rise in cost from the 2004 to 2008 election, however, decreased for the 2012 election which could not catch up with the 487% increase. In 2012, the increase from 138 million cedis to 515 million cedis represented an estimated 273% more money being used for the election.
Source: mybrytfmonline
