NCCE worried about partisan dimension of Assembly polls

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has expressed deep discomfort with what it says is the partisan dimension that the district level elections has taken in the Ashanti Region.

Alhaji Alhassan Yakubu, the Regional Director, said there is large scale infiltration by some political parties with strong evidence of candidates openly canvassing for votes on the basis of political association.

He cited the example at Tarkwa-Maakro in Kumasi, where the poster of one of the contestants had been embossed in the colours of a political party.

The NCCE has taken up the matter with the Electoral Commission (EC) to get the offending candidate disqualified.

“Many of such cases are being investigated and we hope those found to have breached the electoral regulations would be appropriately sanctioned”, Alhaji Yakubu added.

He was addressing a workshop on the elections held by the NCCE at Juaben, in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality.

The workshop was attended by the contestants of the assembly and unit committee elections, youth groups and civil servants, with the goal to sensitizing and aiding them to play by the rules to ensure a successful poll.

Alhaji Yakubu underlined the determination of the Commission to engage stakeholders in selected districts to whip up voter enthusiasm to participate in the polls.

These include the Kumasi Metropolis, Asante-Akim North, Kwabre East districts, Obuasi, Offinso and Mampong municipalities.

He noted that the district level elections had over the years been recording low voter turn-outs and said this must change since the assembly concept formed the basis for building a stronger democracy.

Alhaji Yakubu urged all qualified voters to ensure that they exercised their franchise on March 3, to choose competent, hardworking and committed people to represent them.