By: Nana Antwi Boasiako
The Head of the Electoral Commission’s Training Department, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe has explained that the online voter registration details checking fee of 50 Ghana pesewas is payment for service providers, not the Electoral Commission.
He emphasized that the EC does not receive any portion of this fee, which has remained unchanged since the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has voiced his disapproval of the fee associated with the Electoral Commission’s (EC) newly introduced short code service. The service, accessible via 71151#, enables voters to confirm their registration details prior to the 2024 general election. However, Mr. Dafeamekpor has raised concern about the financial burden imposed on voters, questioning the necessity of the fee.
Dr. Quaicoe emphasized that the GHP0.50 online voter registration check fee is not allocated to the Electoral Commission’s budget, as it would otherwise become EC revenue. He explained that the EC’s primary responsibility is to facilitate voter verification at polling stations, while the service provider offers online verification as an alternative for those unable to visit a polling station. This distinction highlights the separate roles of the EC and service providers in the voter registration process.