Intensify education on district level elections

Mankessim (C/R), July 23, GNA - Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies have been called upon to provide resources for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Service Department to educate the public on the up-coming District Level Elections.

Mr Felix Nyarko Antwi, First Vice-Chairman of the Mfantseman West Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Mankessim, expressed regret about the poor education given to programmes of the Electoral Commission (EC) including the impending district elections.

Mr Antwi said visits to offices of the Commission in some districts revealed that Electoral Officers were handicapped, adding that, they lacked the resources to promote the electoral process. He noted that, "the haphazard manner the exhibition of the voters register was conducted prove the handicap facing the Electoral Officers".

The NPP Vice-Chairman noted that District Assemblies and their sub-structures were the foundation of good governance and called for greater attention to be given to them.

He said unlike general elections where political parties were involved the non-partisan nature of the district level election enjoined the government to take up the responsibilities.

"I doubt if anyone in the villages is prepared to use his or her own resources to take pictures and campaign to contest the election to the unit committee since there is no remuneration attached".

"My contact with the people showed that they were not prepared to do sacrificial job as unit committee members and even most of the old Assembly Members are not willing to seek re-election", Mr Antwi stated. He added that, "If every four years new members are elected it will be difficult for the assemblies to get experienced people to work with".