C/R Electoral Commission gears up for photo taking exercise

Cape Coast, June 1, GNA - The Central Region Office of the Electoral Commission, has so far, received 375 cameras and other materials like films, laminators, photo fix and batteries, for the photograph-taking exercise for the provision of voters' identity cards, which takes off in the region from June 7 to 12.

Mr Michael Anyimadu, Regional Director of the Commission who made this known to the GNA in an interview at Cape Coast on Tuesday said the Commission, would however, need about 1,600 cameras to cover the 1,763 polling centres in the region, adding that his outfit, would take possession of the remaining number of cameras, from the Western Region after the end of the exercise there on Wednesday, June 2.

According to him, a total of 5,289 people, comprising photographers, laminators and sorters, had been recruited to undertake the exercise, adding that they were being given the requisite training to enable them to do their work effectively.

He said 36 "key cameramen", had so far been trained, who would in turn, train their counterparts in the districts and gave the assurance that there were enough vehicles to convey the materials to the various districts for the smooth take off of the exercise.

Mr Anyimadu appealed to all those who registered, to endeavour to have their photographs taken, when the exercise begins, to enable them to vote in the December elections.

In a related development, Mr Anyimadu told the GNA that all was ready for the bye-election in the Upper Denkyira constituency, which is slated for June 29.

He said notices of elections had so far been pasted in the area to inform the public of the coming elections, which had come about as a result of the death of the MP, Mr C. O. Nyanor.

Mr Anyimadu said nomination forms, had also been sent to the area, and that the Commission would receive nominations on June 2 and 3 and announced that three persons from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Democratic People's Party (DPP) and an independent candidate, had so far collected the forms.