EC to execute legal framework on District Level Elections

Sunyani, Dec. 10, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) has a daunting task to execute the current legal framework of district level elections, Mr Ebenezer Aggrey-Fynn, Member of the Commission responsible for the Brong Ahafo Region said on Thursday.

He said the time for the passage of the law and the impending elections was so short that the printing of ballot papers and acquisition of other necessary logistics constituted a challenge faced by the commission regarding its implementation.

The commission's member said the only way to surmount the challenge was the need for an intensive public education. He urged district directors of the EC, Information Services Department (ISD) and National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to effectively collaborate to educate the electorate to vote massively in the upcoming elections.

Mr Aggrey-Fynn was giving an overview of "Changes to the Legal Framework for District Level Elections and Anticipated Challenges of the 2010 Elections," at a day's regional workshop organised by the EC in collaboration with KAB Governance Consult, a non-governmental organisation for about 102 district heads of the EC, ISD and NCCE on the theme: "Harnessing the Resources of the EC, NCCE and ISD for improved citizen participation in the 2010 District Level Elections."

He said the district elections was of equal significance like the Presidential and Parliamentary elections and urged stakeholders not to underestimate the importance of the exercise by ensuring its success through a high voter turn-out.

Mr Aggrey-Fynn debunked the notion that membership of district assemblies was below the status and capabilities of high-level professionals.

He said the new legal framework was necessary because it had streamlined the entire local government structure through simplified and more appropriate demarcation of electoral areas. Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult and a consultant to the EC cited Legislative Instrument (LI) 1967 that reduced the number of unit committees nationwide from 15,000 to that of electoral areas which was now about 6,135.

Mr George Gyabaah, Regional Acting Director of the EC said conducting district level elections was a shared responsibility of all. He said the workshop was an opportunity to strategise to whip up the interest of Ghanaians to participate actively in the forthcoming elections. He expressed the hope that the workshop would strengthen the bond of friendship between the EC, the NCCE and the ISD as partners in providing public education to the electorate.