Banners illegal in assembly elections

Takoradi, Aug.22, GNA - Miss Eunice Akweley Roberts, Member of the Electoral Commission (EC) in-charge of the Western Region on Monday said it was illegal for aspiring assembly members to mount banners, posters and bill boards during their campaigns for election.

She said mounting of banners and other advertisements violated the non-partisan concept of the district assembly elections. Ms. Roberts announced this when addressing the opening session at a day's training for journalists and social commentators in the Shama Ahanta East Metropolis at Takoradi.

She therefore, called for a review on the law on advertisements by aspiring candidates.

Ms. Roberts said the district assembly elections was non-partisan and assembly members elected were only paid sitting allowances and did not receive ex-gratia at the end of their tenure of office. She said the EC would mount platforms in 445 electoral areas for all the candidates to meet the people and share their vision with them. This, Ms Roberts said, would afford candidates an even campaigning and access to the electorates to enable them chose competent candidates for their respective areas.

Ms. Roberts pointed out that the platforms were not meant to embarrass, intimidate or attack the personality of contestants but the electorates should listen and ask relevant questions. She stressed that offering of drinks, impersonation, multiple voting, bribery, threat, damage, harm or inflicting injury on anyone were electoral offences and offenders would be fined, imprisoned or to both.

Mr. Steve Opoku-Mensah, Western Regional Director of the EC said mounting of platforms in the region would begin from August 21 to September 9.

He said platform monitors had been recruited and were responsible for the organisation of the platforms in their assigned electoral areas. Mr. Opoku-Mensah said the platform monitors would introduce the candidates and control proceedings at each forum. He said election officials had also been recruited and would be trained on the election procedures from September 6 to 11. Mr. Opoku-Mensah cautioned that candidates for the district assembly or unit level elections should contest as individuals and must not use symbol of any particular political party.

He said in addition, no political party should endorse, sponsor, offer a platform or campaign for any candidate seeking election to the district assembly or lower local government. 22 Aug.06