By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Electoral Commissioner of Sierra Leone (ECSL) Mohamed K. Konneh who also doubles as the chairman earlier this week pronounced that 1,345,176 eligible registrants registered during the first phase of the Voter Registration (VR) which started on Saturday 3rd to Saturday 17th September 2022.
Making his pronouncement of the 80 per cent of the centres which were opened across the country, the Chairman said the provisional data collected for Eastern Region is 269,110, For Northern Region, 241, 827, For Northwest Region; 188,048, For Southern Region; 295, 759, and For Western Area; 350,432 respectively.
In his statement, the ECSL Chairman stated that the first phase ended successfully. Since the remaining 1,815 centres opened on the 20th of September, 2022, Mr. Konneh called all eligible voters to do the exercise in all of the 446 Wards, Constituencies, and Districts.
He emphasized that it is an opportunity for every citizen who could not make it in the first phase to go to the nearest centres in their community.
According to the commissioner, the documents required for the process are a valid Sierra Leonean Identification card, a certificate of the registration form of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), valid Sierra Leonean Birth certificate.
The commissioner however warned all those who would do underage or double registration would be prosecuted and the said crime is punishable by law.
The ECSL chairman said that the challenges which faced the process during the first phase have been addressed and that those challenges were shared with stakeholders, noting that the Commission would be looking forward to more positive engagement with stakeholders and partners including political parties.
The Director of Operations AIG Brima Jah in his update on the security of the Voter Registration process said police officers were provided for security reasons and the safety of citizens and ECSL staff.
He went on that for Freetown West a total number of 9 cases were reported and 16 were arrested of which he said 2 have been charged to court for disorderly behavior and more.
Mr. Jah said for Freetown east 36 individuals were arrested with voter machines where they were found producing ID cards illegally, a total of 25 men and 11 women have been arrested.
The commissioner for National Civil Registration Authority briefly spoke about the registration process. We have never refused to register anyone said the commissioner on allegations of the registration process.