EC would produce fairly credible voters' register

Sekondi, Nov.6, GNA - Ms Eunice Akweley Roberts, a member of the Electoral Commission (EC) in-charge of the Western Region, on Wednesday said the Commission would produce a "Fairly credible" voters' register for the December 7 elections. She was speaking at a one-day training programme on the elections for selected media practitioners, organized by the EC at Sekondi. The programme was funded by the Netherlands Institute for Multi-Party Democracy (NIMD) and facilitated by the KAB Governance Consult (KGC).

Ms Roberts said the EC is using a computer software to clean the register of double registration, registration of minors and irregularities.

She said names of some minors have been deleted from the register after their parents reported to the Commission during the exhibition of the register that their wards were below 16 years. Ms Roberts said minors who manage to register as voters and vote in the elections could be prosecuted when their correct age is ascertained.

Ms Roberts warned that anybody who attempts to vote twice would be caught and prosecuted.

She said contract for the printing of ballot papers and other electoral materials have been awarded. Ms Roberts said the political parties and the security agencies are to send representatives to the printing houses concerned to monitor progress of work.

She said the ballot papers would be distributed straight from the printing houses to the regions and districts. Ms Roberts said the commission has recruited returning officers for all constituencies in the region and they have undergone orientation and sworn into office.

Every constituency would have a returning officer and two deputies, she said, adding the returning officer for the Presidential election is the chairman of the Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan. Ms Roberts said the returning officers would recruit presiding officers who would be responsible for the elections at polling stations.

Ms Roberts said all persons recruited to assist in the elections are non-partizan and are not political activists.\

Mr Samuel Yorke-Aidoo, a Director of EC in-charge of Human Resources and General Services, asked all critical stakeholders of the election to ensure that policies and regulations prescribed by law were obeyed on the day of the election. He advised voters to go to the polling stations where they have their names on register to caste their votes and to leave the polling stations as soon as they have voted. Mr Yorke-Aidoo said the polling stations would be restricted for voting on the day of the elections. He said candidates and their spouses, local and foreign observers and security officers in the constituency have the right to be present at polling stations.

Mr Yorke-Aidoo said the elections would start at 7.00 a.m. and end at 5.00 p.m. and people in the queue after 5.00 p.m. should be allowed to vote.

He said polling stations should be opened on time and voting should be done in secret while the flow of voters should be uninterrupted. Mr Yorke-Aidoo said pre-voting inspection should be done by the Presiding Officers at the Polling Stations and the number of ballot papers and the total number of voters declared. He said voting and counting must be done in the open and lights would be provided for all polling stations in case counting goes on into the night. Mr Yorke-Aidoo said after the declaration of the results at the polling stations, party agents would be given copies. 7 Nov. 08