Election day be declared public holiday

Koforidua, Jan. 14, 04, GNA- A pensioner, Mr Theo Kojo Hagan, has suggested that the day for presidential and parliamentary elections be declared a statutory public holiday to ensure a high voter turn out. He also urged the government to provide the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) adequate funds and logistics and on time, to enable them to perform efficiently.

Mr Hagan, who was a participant at this year's annual New Year School, made the suggestion in a 17-point memorandum on national issues he submitted to the Third Regional/ District Peoples Assembly held at Koforidua on Monday.

To ensure a peaceful election, he called for the replication of the Inter-Party Advisory Committees (IPACS) at the regional and district levels to promote regular consultations among political parties and special electoral courts to address electoral disputes. The memorandum advocated the institution of annual auditing of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to help expose any financial malfeasance in the organisations.

It called on the government to create more job avenues and embark on a vigorous construction programme on roads and housing in the regions and districts.

The memorandum also urged the youth to avail themselves of the President's Special Initiatives (PSIs) while the District Assemblies should offer them vocational training centres and financial interventions to empower them to be on their own. The memorandum commended the government for the cocoa spraying policy and suggested that to sustain increased cocoa production, the spraying gangs be retained to undertake the nursing and planting of cocoa seedlings as well as brushing of cocoa farms for the aged farmers.