Returning Officers urged to protect the integrity of the polls

A Supervising High Court Judge, Justice Robin Batu, has urged Returning Officers (ROs) for the December 7 election to do everything to protect the integrity of the polls.

They should avoid any act that could undermine the credibility of the elections and dent the admirable international image the nation had carved for itself.

Justice Batu was swearing-in ROs in constituencies in the Kumasi Metropolis, Odotobiri and Amansie Central in the Ashanti Region at a ceremony in Kumasi on Wednesday.

He said any deviation from the oath that they had sworn could have dire consequences on the democratic credentials of the country.

They took the oaths of office and secrecy as provided for by the Constitutional Instrument 75 (CI 75).

The requirement under the CI 75 is that the ROs should swear the two oaths in the presence of a high court judge to faithfully and impartially fulfill their duties and abide by the laws and regulations governing the conduct of elections.

There was simultaneous swearing-in of ROs in the other remaining constituencies in the region by high court judges in their respective zones.

With this, the way had been paved for them to receive nomination forms of parliamentary candidates in their respective constituencies.

Justice Batu advised them to be fair to all the candidates so as to win their confidence and make the outcome of the elections acceptable to all the contestants.

Mr. Isaac Owusu, a Deputy Director at the Regional EC, urged the ROs to be opened and transparent in their conduct to ensure that the processes towards the elections are smooth and peaceful.