Liberia: Rep. Candidate Tolbert Frowns at NEC for Imposing $US5 as Extra Fees for Lost Voter Cards, Says it Violates Liberia’s Constitution
PAYNESVILLE: Montserrado County District #5 Representative Aspirant, Melvin Tolbert through its spokesperson Kai Gee has frowned at the National Elections Commission (NEC) for imposing entra fees of US$5 on citizens for lost or damaged voter registration cards.
Mr. Gee said the move by NEC is counterproductive, wicked, and it violates the rights of citizens. Speaking to a team of reporters in Paynesville, he added that the action by the NEC is indirectly intended to disallow Liberians from partaking in the process which he said runs contrary to the 1986 constitution of Liberia.
“Article one and eighty-one of the 1986 constitution of Liberia allows every citizen to participate freely in every democratic process and by that, it is the responsibility of the National government to fund all elections and not to put the burden on the ordinary citizens and candidates in the process,’’ Mr. Gee said.
He wants NEC to rethink her decision by allowing citizens to do their replacement of voter ID cards free of charge as done in previous elections.
Recently, NEC in a release announced that Voters who lost or damage their voting ID will have to pay the sum of US$5 dollars, but the pronouncement has since been marked by public outcry and criticism with calls on the commission to revisit their decision.
