Don't blame Government for lapses in Election - Majority Leader

Zebilla (U/E), Jan. 6, GNA - Mr Cletus Avoka, Majority Leader in Parliament has stated that Government could not be blamed for the lapses associated with the recent District Assembly Election.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, the Majority Leader who is also the Member of Parliament for Zebilla West Constituency, explained that under no circumstance should government be blamed since it approved an= d allocated funds to the Electoral Commission {EC) which constitutionally mandated to carry on with electoral functions.

Mr Avoka said; 93Even though Government regret the inconvenience caus= ed especially during the festivities, it should not be held accountable for th= e cause of the problem since it performed its duty as expected by approving funding for the programme".

He indicated that the EC's acceptance to the fact it had no problem with funding was a clear testimony that government had voted money for the exercise and indicated that the hiccups could be attributed to the creation of new electoral areas which had its own technical problem as indicated by the Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan. Mr Avoka cited for instance that the petition issued by the opposition party summoning Parliamentarians who were on holiday back to parliament to explain the problem during the District Assembly Election as unnecessary. He said whilst the EC was addressing the problem, it should be allowed as an independent body to carry out its mandatory duties and should not be interfered with stressing that this was not the first time the District Assembly Election was postponed or had faced challenges.

Mr Avoka indicated that in 2006 under the New Patriotic Party Administration a similar incident occurred and the election was postponed and the problem redressed.

He called on the EC to work harder to restore the confidence that had been bestowed on it at both the national and international levels by averting such unfortunate circumstance in future.

Mr Avoka, who was in his constituency to explain government policies t= o the people, visited traditional rulers and briefed them about the work of Parliament.

He assured the Chiefs and people in the constituency that government had more development projects and programmes to be implemented in the country including the provision of potable drinking water and infrastructural development such as schools, health facilities and construction of more roads among others. He also interacted with newly elected assembly members and entreated them to cooperate and work together to ensure acceleration of development i= n the district and the region as a whole, stressing that 93as assembly membe= rs you should consider the development of the district ahead of partisan interest."