By Patrick N. Tokpah (Bong County contributor) & Solomon T. Gaye (Nimba correspondent)
Phase one of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kicked off on March 20, 2023, in Montserrado in six counties ahead of the much anticipated and historic October 10 national elections.
Unlike previous elections when manual voter registrations were done, the 2023 general and presidential elections introduced the BVR system.
Phase one ran from March 20 and ended April 9, 2023 while phase two, which includes Bong, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Maryland, Nimba, Rivercess, River Gee, and Sinoe Counties commenced on April 21 and is expected to end on May 11, 2023 as per the National Elections Commission’s timetable; with no extension.
The process similar to phase one encountered a slow start, especially in some parts of Bong County with few other challenges which included NEC workers’ late arrivals at some centers and in some cases, they took hours to set up; a situation that infuriated some people who had gathered very early to complete the process and return to their normal activities.
The Inquirer Newspaper’s Bong County contributor visited a few registration centers and observed some challenges that would probably hinder the successful implementation of the exercise if not addressed.
Our reporter observed especially in Wainsue Town in District 3, NEC workers are struggling to secure enough energy supply from the solar power provided to them to power the equipment and this became common in most of the centers visited, which led to registration starting a little bit late.
At the Wombah Town Registration Center in Electoral District 3, the equipment could not come on due to the solar panel failure to power the laptop and other equipment provided by the National Elections Commission.
It took the intervention of the NEC technician who was called from Monrovia in order to provide his technical advice to the NEC staff assigned at the center regarding the usage of the equipment which cause more delay in the process on the first day of the BVR exercise.
Also during the first day, registration centers like Belefina, Naima Town, and MelekieTwon both in electoral Districts 3 and 4 among others, NEC workers were seen struggling operate the equipment as though they did not receive sufficient hands-on training for the materials.
However, many residents are lauding the NEC for the process and one of such persons is Bong County senatorial aspirant, Johnny K. Kpehe, who spoke to journalists about the uniqueness of the process after completing his registration at the G. W. Gibson High School in Sinyea, Suakoko District 5.
Mr. Kpehe said even though the process is a little bit slow as NEC workers have to take few minutes to complete one person’s registration, he noted that the ongoing BVR in Liberia which is the first attempt to digitize and electronically create a database of voters all to ensure an efficient and transparent electoral process, is good for the country’s development.
According to the electoral body, the BVR will help minimize fraud and inaccuracies that have characterized past elections in the country.
Additionally, many residents especially the young people are praising the NEC for launching the BVR online registration platform.
Speaking in an interview with some first time voters at the John Flomo Bakalu High School Registration Center at the Dolokelen Gboveh High School as well as the NV Massaquoi High School Registration Center, all in Gbarnga City, they said the online registration process is very easy, noting that they are even helping others to do theirs.
“We do all their particular on our smartphones and they only go to get their ID card, because they will not have to go through all the normal activities others are going through with the NEC workers and it’s easy,” they added.
Meanwhile, the voters’ registration exercise also kicked off in Nimba County with few residents lined up at the various centers in Ganta City.
On the first day of the exercise, there were no assigned immigration officers at the Rehab, John Wesley Pearson Campus; the John Flomo School on Guinea Road; the Zokerseh Public School along the Monrovia Highway and the small Ganta Market building where precinct centers are located.
Speaking to this paper in the small Ganta Market, old man William Kollie, explained he along with his family had gone to register but spent the whole day without going through the exercise all because the NEC staff were unable to operate the machines.
Speaking to this paper, old lady Nancy Yeah, expressed dissatisfaction over the slow machine operators assigned at the various centers in Ganta.
The residents are calling on the Ministry of Justice to assigned more LIS officers at the various centers to curtail intruders or prevent aliens from registering.
When this paper contacted the NEC workers at the small Ganta Market, they confirmed report of technical problems on April 21, 2023, being the first day of the exercise and that led to people leaving the center in disappointment.
