The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has failed to find solutions to certain important concerns, which raises doubts about its commitment and readiness for this year’s elections, Campaign Manager of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu has stated.
“C.I.75 is in the offing, which is regulations on elections, that is on the table for amendment; when is it going to mature so that it can take effect for the upcoming elections looking at the date? And that even when the amendment is passed by Parliament, you will still need a C.I., which will also take another 21 days. Are we ready for that?” he queried.
He made the comments at a public forum organised by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee of Parliament on the Constitutional Amendment Bill in Accra.
The programme, which was held on Monday July 11, was organised to solicit public input after the EC activated legislative instruments, which are meant to allow it to organise elections on the first Monday of every November in an election year instead of the December 7.
The NPP also raised concerns about funding for the commission to enable it procure all the necessary logistics for successful polls.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, who represented his party at the forum, said he had no objections to the decision of the committee and parliament, since a change in date will not grant undue advantage to any party.
For his part, the President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Affail Monney, called for the protection of journalists, who cover events during elections.
Other political parties, civil society groups, religious bodies and members of the public were given the opportunity to also make contributions. They are were in agreement with the proposed change in date.
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