Mid-Week Madness:Why I won't vote in Ghana's Elections

Most Ghanaians woke up to a tremendous downpour this morning, leaving many stranded at home for later than usual.

As I made my way to work, I saw a familiar queue--that of Ghanaians waiting to register for the ongoing biometric registration near my area.

I sucked my teeth in disgust.

Forget the fact that it's an important step in our democratic dispensation. I like to think that I take heart in not voting (as I won't have my voter's ID), because I am deadset against getting a voters ID when I have yet to receive my national ID card--promised to be distributed me back in August/September 2011. Why must I vote when I don't have my National ID card yet? Why was money not sought to ensure nation-wide distribution of cards had taken place? And why did our esteemed agencies not ensure that national ID cards would be the de facto form of registration?

Simply put: I won't get a voter's ID card when I don't yet have my national ID card. My national ID card will live LONG after elections are over!




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Mid Week Madness: Where are Those ID Cards We were promised in July?

This is really getting out of hand.

Some of us saw the beginning of July not just as a hopeful period for the country, whereby our beleaguered cards would finally find themselves in our hands, but also a period when we could have faith that our institutions could deliver on "promises".

Almost two months later, I need to be eating my words. I cannot for the life of me understand why there are so many problems with the National ID Authority. The inset picture is a screen capture of their website. I am not quite sure what the "50% complete" is a reference to. If it's with regard  to  the distribution of the cards, that must be a joke. If not, why that figure?

All in all, there seems to be immense confusion around the cards and their distribution thereof. Most parts of Accra were supposed to have received it by now -- they have not.

To read a story (http://gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.358607.1.529718), which blames "anomalies" of "beneficiaries" for the non-appearance may be true, but hardly encouraging.

The NIA should honestly come clean on when people should receive their ID cards. Please tell us something!