EC chairman advocates election of quality Assembly Members

Ho, Dec. 2, GNA - Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), on Wednesday advised the electorate to select quality people to represent them at the District Assemblies and the Unit Committees. He said if best candidates find themselves in the Assemblies and Unit Committees, the communities would become "powerful and able to protect their common interest."

Dr Afari-Gyan was answering questions at a workshop organised by the National Commission on Civic Education and the Information Services Department, to plan public education to improve citizen participation in the 2010 District Level Election, in Ho. He said the reduction of Unit Committee membership from 15 to five under the new Legislative Instrument (LI 1967); "The Local Government (Urban, Zonal and Town Councils and Unit Committees (Establishment) Instrument 2010", would engender competition and the functional viability of the Committees.

Dr Afari-Gyan expressed the hope that money would be available in good time for preparatory works and the conduct of the District Assemblies and Unit Committee elections, on schedule on 28 December this year. "If there is no money then I am afraid it will be difficult to conduct the elections as planned", he said.

Dr Afari- Gyan said commended Mr Yieleh Chireh, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, for facilitating the necessary changes to the legal framework for the District Level elections. He said several physical changes relating to District Level Elections have taken place since 1988 when local level elections were introduced, necessitating the current changes. Ms Laurentia Kpatakpa, Volta Regional Director of the EC, called on state agencies and civil society organisations to help in planning strategies to whip up the interest of the public in the elections.