Electronic Voter Register Exhibition Must Be Free- Kofi Boakye

The Host of Opemsuo Radio’s Nkwantannanso Show, Mr. Melchizedek O. Boachie, has mounted a strong advocacy for free electronic verification of details on the electoral roll.

He asserts that the cost of the electronic process could be absorbed into the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the telecommunication companies in the country.

“We are calling on the telcos, especially as they have been able to come up with a short code to check details on the Voter Register.

“This shouldn’t be charged. We know they are doing business but I don’t think this should go beyond their operations to make it a Corporate Social Responsibility.”

Expressing his concern about the charges during his development-centered programme, Mr Kofi Boakye who doubles as the Operations Manager of Opemsuo Radio urged the telcos to add these important messages to the random communications they convey to customers at no direct cost.

“The electronic verification of details of a voter must included in the random messages the telcos send to customers. The telcos should stop the unnecessary prompts they give to customers on daily basis and channel those resources to sharing messages from the EC. I have been receiving messages from betting companies.”

“They should make it a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility. The EC messages should be made part of the random messages the telcos send to customers,” he added.

The Electoral Commission has announced a short-code (711*51#) to save electorates the hassle of going all the way to their polling stations to verify their details in the Voter Register.

Users will however be charged GHC0.50p to access their details using the electronic mode.