Finance Ministry To Be Blamed For Delay In Payment of Allowances - EC

Communications Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Eric Dzakpasu has assured electoral officials of the Commission's commitment to pay their allowances.

Speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Mr. Dzakpasu expressed worry over the delay in payment of the allowances but asked the electoral officials to be calm as the Commission works to resolve the conflict.

Mr. Dzakpasu explained that the EC budgeted about 1.2 billion cedis for Parliamentary approval before the money can be used to pay the allowances.

He noted that the Commission has not yet received the full amount and blamed the Ministry of Finance for the delay.

According to him, the Finance Ministry has not been able to release the money to the Commission and that, only about 80,000 cedis can be accounted for by the Commission.

Mr. Dzakpasu confirmed the number of electoral officials who are yet to receive their allowances to be over 200,000.

He told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that though the electoral officials have not received their allowances, the Commission is "not expecting anything evil should happen.”

A Daily Graphic publication on Wednesday, January 18 indicated that two hundred thousand electoral officials who were engaged by the EC to conduct last year's general elections have not been paid their allowances.

Mr. Dzakpasu further revealed that some of the officials have been placing calls to threaten the Commission.