Sixteen PWDs to contest district elections in Upper East Region

Only Sixteen persons living with various forms of disabilities have filed to contest in the December 17 District Level Elections (DLEs) in the Upper East Region.

Nine other persons with Disability have also filed to contest in the Unit Committee positions across the region.

Mr William Obeng Adarkwa, the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Bolgatanga.

A total of 1074 candidates are contesting for the positions of Assembly members in all the 359 Electoral Areas across the 15 Municipal and Districts in the region, while 2,199 persons are vying for the Unit Committee positions.

The Regional Director revealed that out of the above numbers, 28 and 145 women were contesting for the District Level Elections and Unit Committee positions respectively.

Mr William explained that all was set for the elections to take place in all the over 1000 polling stations across the region and the EC had already sent the necessary materials for the elections to the various districts.

He said the election officers were well trained to administer the process with utmost transparency and diligence according to the rules and regulations of the electoral system of the country.

The Regional Director said the EC’s collaboration with security agencies were strong and urged members of the public to have confidence in the EC to deliver credible elections.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019, Ghana would go to the polls to elect Assembly Members and Unit Committee members who would represent the communities in the various electoral areas, at the Assemblies, in the next four years.

The Regional Director noted that on the Election Day, as part of fairness and to promote inclusive participation, priority would be given to the vulnerable including PWDs, pregnant women and the elderly persons to vote.

He stated that other stakeholders including; election officials, security services, health persons and media practitioners who may have urgent duties at their work places during the election would be given the chance to vote as soon as the presiding officers of the various polling stations were ready.

He disclosed that the EC had already trained persons with visual impairment on how to use the tarter jacket to vote and encouraged all persons to participate in the process to choose competent leaders who would work to promote development at the grassroots.

The Regional Director advised members of the public to eschew violence to ensure the continuity of the prevailing peace for accelerated and sustainable development.

He said the election would start at 0700 hours and end at 1700 hours at all polling stations.