MONROVIA, Montserrado – As the 2017 general and presidential elections draw near, the National Elections Commission is seemingly challenged by the lack of funding to facilitate the nation-wide voter registration process, scheduled to last from February 1 to March 7.

Jonathan K. Weedor, the head of Budget and Finance at NEC on Jan. 31 told the Edward Wilmot Blyden Forum in Monrovia that the slow funding from the government is posing a serious challenge to the voter registration process.

The Edward Wilmot Blyden forum was held on the theme: National Voters Registration; Opportunities and Challenges.

Weedor’s disclosure comes on the third day of the voter registration process that had a very slow start with mixed reactions from Liberians who said the commission has been using faulty equipment.

Reports gathered by The Bush Chicken from across the country say people are made to stand in queues for several hours before completing their registration process.

Other reports indicate that people are also being turned away because of the faulty cameras coupled with the lack of proper arrangements by NEC to use some private facilities.

Although Weedor did not state how much is required for the voter registration process, he acknowledged that the slow funding process by the government is affecting the commission.

He pleaded with the Press Union of Liberia and other Liberians to put pressure on the government to fast-track funding to the commission.

At the same time, Weedor promised that the commission will conduct a transparent electoral process come Oct. 10.

Jerome Korkoyah, the NEC chairman, also disclosed that the commission with the help of the United Nations Development Program had brought into the county an additional 100 cameras to help with the process.

Several Liberians waiting to be registered. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Edward Wilmot Blyden is credited as the father of pan-Africanism and was an educator, writer, diplomat and politician with pal-excellence in Liberia.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah