Six regions to contest District Level Election on December 29

Accra, Dec. 28, GNA - Barring any electoral operation hiccups, six regions would go to the polls on Wednesday, December 29 to elect Assembly and Unit Committee members for the next four years.

Less than 24 hours to the polls, Ghana News Agency (GNA) investigation revealed that all the six regions are yet to receive the full complement of ballot papers for voting.

The Electoral Commission (EC) is handicapped with delay in printing of ballot papers due to the huge volume of contestants; 17,315 candidates for the District Assembly Election and 45,762 candidates for the Unit Committee Elections.

EC Official told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on condition of anonymity that: 93We have mobilised all human and material resources and working around the clock to ensure that we meet out target." At the EC headquarters in Accra, officials including some members of the Commission, Directors and Senior Electoral Officials were busy sorting out the election materials.

Most of the heavy duty vehicles used in distributing electoral materials were also on standby ready to move to the regions tonight whilst others were already on the way.

Due to delay in printing of ballot papers the EC rescheduled the timetable for the 2010 District Assembly and Unit Committee Elections spreading it over a three-day period.

The Central and Upper West regions voted on Tuesday, December 28. The Greater Accra, Volta, Ashanti, Northern, Upper East and Brong Ahafo regions are expected to cast their votes on Wednesday, December 29 and the Eastern and Western regions Thursday, December 30.

In an interview with Ghana News Agency, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the EC called for the co-operation of all stakeholders as the Commission takes the necessary step= s to address the operational handicaps.

He said the Commission was capable of overcoming the glitches being encountered and urged voters, security agencies and the media, especially radio presenters, to be circumspect in their actions and pronouncements. The EC Chairman, who is in the Ashanti Region to monitor the polls, asked the media not to present local problems in their areas of operations as a national one.

Electoral statistics for the six regions shows that in the Greater Accra, 1,269 candidates are contesting for the District Assembly and 2,501 for the Unit Committee Elections.

In the Upper East Region 896 candidates are vying for the District Assembly Election and 2,763 for the Unit Committee Election. In the Volta Region, 1,833 are contesting the District Assembly Election whilst 4,211 are contesting for the Unit Committee Election. Ashanti Region recorded 3,393 contestants for District Assembly Election whilst 9,473 are contesting for Unit Committee Election. The Northern Region recorded 1,749 candidates for the District Assembl= y Election and 4,009 for the Unit Committee Election. In the Brong Ahafo Region 1,979 are contesting for the District Assembly Polls and 6,187 for the Unit Committee Election. The elections would take place between 0700 hours and 1700 hours with the entire process taking place in the open view of the public. Agents of candidates would be allowed at polling stations to observe proceedings.