Stop Assin North by-election until…- Youth Bridge Foundation tells EC

The non-governmental organization known as the Youth Bridge Foundation has informed the Electoral Commission (EC), political parties, and the general public that the parliamentary by-election in the Assin North constituency that is scheduled to take place on June 27, 2023 will be considered a violation of the constitution of 1992 if it is held without the participation of young people who turned 18 after the previous election.

Since the nationwide registration that took place from June to August of 2020, the Foundation observed that the Electoral Commission has not carried out any new or continuing voter registration activities.

Since this exercise, a substantial number of young people have reached the legal voting age of 18 years, and the EC recognized that if it fails to enfranchise these voters, it will be abandoning its duty. If this occurs, the EC will be in violation of its responsibilities.

Article 42 of the constitution from 1992, which outlines the right to vote, gives voice to the concerns of the Youth Bridge Foundation.

According to Article 42 of the Constitution of Ghana, "Every Ghanaian citizen who is eighteen years of age or older and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda,"


"We at Youth Bridge Foundation are worried that another breach of the constitution is about to happen after the Supreme Court ruling nullifying the Assin North election and expunging the name of its MP from Parliamentary proceedings," a statement made by the Foundation said. The statement was included in a document that was distributed by the Foundation.

The Foundation has expressed very similar sentiments in 2012, 2016, and 2020, and it is disheartening to them that, for the umpteenth time, it appears like the rights of young people are being pushed to the sidelines.

In the most recent Kumawu by-election as well as the infamous 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, young people who were entitled to vote were once again denied their constitutional rights since no activities were carried out to put their names on the electoral role, and this pattern must not be allowed to continue to grow.

In April of 2022, the Foundation applauded the EC for being steadfast in their decision to employ district offices for the restricted voter registration in 2020. This choice cut costs and had the potential to make ongoing voter registration easier.


"It is our steadfast confidence that the EC will make ongoing registration a priority in order to include voters who are exercising their right to vote for the first time.

"Youth Bridge Foundation, as champions for youth development and inclusiveness, makes the following calls: Make a request to the Electoral Commission to open a limited register for at least two days so that young eligible voters who have turned 18 since the last election in August 2020 would be able to register and vote in the upcoming election.

In order to make this registration process easier, EC is going to make use of BVRs and the Assin North district office. EC is obligated to uphold the constitutional provisions of articles 42, 45a, and e, as well as 296 from 1992. It is imperative that all relevant parties, including political parties, civil society organizations, and the general public, work together with the Electoral Commission (EC) to both avert a violation of Ghana's constitution from 1992 and strengthen the country's democratic system.