EC to go ahead with creation of additional constituencies

Category: Politics Created on Tuesday, 19 June 2012 11:42 Published Date Written by GNA Hits: 225

Kumasi, June 18, GNA – The Electoral Commission (EC) said it would go ahead with the creation of additional  constituencies, despite protests by some political parties and other civil society groups over the timing.
      Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, Chairman of the EC, said the Commission has a constitutional obligation to create the constituencies, regardless of the time left for the conduct of Election 2012.
     He was addressing the opening of a day’s capacity building workshop for political party leaders in the Ashanti Region in Kumasi, on Monday.
      Dr Gyan said  that the EC would be defaulting in the discharge of a duty imposed on it by the 1992 Constitution if it fail to review and create new constituencies before the polls.
         “Whether the parties want it or not there is a constitutional obligation and the EC is going to do that whether the time is short or not. The EC is not going to play with the wishes of political parties,” he said.
          Dr Gyan said that the EC was contemplating organizing a by-election in the Wulensi constituency, following the death of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.
          The capacity building workshop is one of two engagements of the EC with party leaders across the country ahead the elections.
          This is to help deepen the understanding of the electoral system, create mutual appreciation of the relationship between the EC and the parties, and to remove any misconceptions about the EC’s strong room.           
           The EC Chairman gave assurance that verification machines would be provided in all polling centres in the December Election.
         More than 23,000 technicians would receive hands-on training to make them more familiar with the machines, to prevent technical challenges, experienced during the biometric voters’ registration exercise.
        Dr Gyan asked political parties to play their expected roles effectively to ensure the success of the polls.
       Mr Michael Ohene Effah,  a representative of the United Kingdom  Department for International Development , said Ghana’s successful conduct of four elections makes it a beacon of democracy and good governance in Africa.
    The UK government has voted £3 million to help the EC conduct free, fair and transparent elections that would be accepted by all parties.
           It would continue to work closely with the EC to ensure level political playing field for all the parties and build on the successes achieved over the years.
    Mr Samuel Tetteh, Ashanti Regional Director, said it was important for all stakeholders to accept to work together to make the elections transparent and credible.