NDC commends EC for embarking on Party Inspection

Accra, Dec. 3, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday commended the Electoral Commission (EC) on its decision to embark on a nationwide inspection of the office premises of all political parties.

"Such electoral exercises would strengthen and enhance the democratic development of the country and give political impetus to the parties to ginger them for Elections 2004," Mr Bede A. Ziedeng, NDC Deputy General Secretary told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.


Mr Ziedeng, however, expressed concern about the short notices stressing, "we all understand the communication difficulties, and other accessibility problems which may affect the transmission of the information throughout the structure within the three-day limitation.


On the question of how functional is the party in the districts and the constituencies, Mr Ziedeng said as a national party and the largest opposition party we are operating actively and gaining more grounds.


Mr Dan Lartey Leader of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) welcomed the inspection.


He said the party had directed all its executives to cooperate with the EC officials to ensure a smooth exercise.


Alhaji Alhassan Bene, General Secretary of the Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE) described the short notices as an unfair application of the laws.

He said to embark on a rigid enforcement of the rules and regulations governing political party activity in the country would be counter-productive for democratic development.


Alhaji Bene urged the EC to tread cautiously on the application of the laws "as the Constitution also places certain responsibilities on the state and the EC which had not been strictly adhered to."


The EC on Tuesday served notices to all political parties of an impending inspection of national, regional and district office premises of all registered parties.


The exercise begins on Thursday, December 4, at the national headquarters with the regional and district premises scheduled for December 8 to December 12.


The directives requested all the political parties to furnish the Commission with their office address, location, and fixed telephone numbers of their premises at the various levels to facilitate the location and inspection of the offices.


The directive also requested all political parties to instruct and designate a Ranking Executive member to be at post to receive and assist officials of th! e Commission in their work.