Myjoyonline News
 Home Page
 General News
 Business
 Politics
 Sports
 Health
 Education
 Articles/Features
 Science & Technology
 Entertainment
 Travel/Tourism
 Africa & International
 Nations Cup 2008
 
 
Parties disappointed at EC’s attitude
Previous Page
 
Myjoyonline Ghana News Photos | EC Chairman, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Djan
EC Chairman, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Djan
 
 
 
 
 
 
The three major political parties in the Country have expressed their disappointment with the Electoral Commission (EC) over its decision to postpone the Re-opening of the Voters Register indefinitely.

The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) John Boadu and his counterpart from the CPP, Kwabena Bomfeh, registered their displeasure on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem programme hosted By Ekourba Gyasi on Tuesday.

The EC in a statement issued by its acting Director of Public Affairs, Owusu Parry on Monday said the Commission has had to postpone indefinitely the re-opening of the Voters Register which should have taken place from Monday, May 8 to May 17, 2008.

According to the EC, the postponement has become necessary as a result of unanticipated difficulties in the procurement of data capture equipment.

But the NDC General Secretary Asiedu Nketiah in echoing his party’s stance on the decision said the NDC will not blame the government but the EC for the reason it is postponing the exercise.

Mr. Asiedu Nketiah explained that earlier signals picked by the party indicated that the EC seems to be handicapped financially.

He said the EC indicated during their recent Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting that due to financial constraints the Commission could not undertake the re-opening of the Voters Register at all the over 21,000 polling stations but rather would limit the exercises to only 5,000 electoral centres.

He stated that when the NDC came out to urge the government as a matter of urgency to provide the Commission with the necessary resources to enable it cover all the 5,000 electoral areas simultaneously the EC rejected the NDC claims that they are under resourced.

He emphasized that this new development has vindicated the NDC in what they stated at their recent Press Conference.

On their parts, National youth Organizer of the NPP, John Boadu and his counterpart from the CPP said the EC’s decision has thrown overboard the schedule of the parties’ flag bearer since they had already planned their activities in consonance with the date for the re-opening of the register.

They urged the EC to work assiduously to ensure that the process of building a credible voters’ register within a considerably appropriate time is achieved for a level playing ground for the December elections.




       

 
  Popular Stories



Search Our Website
 
 
 
OTHER NEWS STORIES
   'Courts must not grant bail to suspected robbers'-Opare Addo
   Kwaku Bonsam: I give pastors 'Kofi Kofi'
   UN Gender Adviser wants women freer from employment constraints
   Bawku: Curfew now 16 hours
   The Bawku crisis - weapons seized
   Teacher loses job over text message
   Man refused blood to dying son
   Weather to be mainly warm, humid
   Judiciary Committee rule on Royal Ntwaa Family petition
   Bawku calm, death toll up to five
   PAC expresses shock at renewal of sea protection contract
   Register prisoners to vote-LRC
   Government apologises to Metro TV, viewers
   Ex-Ghana Airways staff feel betrayed
   Bomb scare at British High Commission