Prez run-off too expensive -EC

A deputy chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Sarfo Kantanka has said that it will be to the advantage of the country if this year?s presidential election does not enter into a run-off (second-round voting).

According to him, if no candidate polls the required majority votes to win the presidential election in the first round, huge funds will have to be mobilised to conduct a 2nd-round election. He cited an instance in the 2000 general election where because of the need for a 2nd round election, the British government had to chatter a plane to carry indelible ink from India to Ghana for the election.

Mr. Katanka made these statements at the end of a 2-day seminar for Broadcast Journalist in Accra on ?fair and objective reportage for the 2004 electioneering process.

He said the electoral commission is making arrangement to send results of this year?s elections to the Ghana International Press Centre in Accra, as soon as they are received by the electoral commission from its regional offices. This will enable the various media houses to pick results of the elections as quickly as possible from the press centre.

About 250 media practitioners throughout the country have benefited from the seminar which was organised in series in the various regions by the GJA, the National Media Commission and the electoral commission. It was sponsored by the Freidrich Ebert Foundation at a cost of about 20,000 euros.