Local Governance Expert, Fred Oduro Agyarko, has called for a review of the conduct of the recent District Level Elections, citing teething problems such as voter apathy and logistical glitches in remote areas that hindered its effectiveness.
Speaking on news and current affairs programme ‘Behind the News,’ on GBC’s Uniiq FM, Mr. Agyarko urged the Electoral Commission, EC, to involve leaders and other key stakeholders to provide valuable insights and help the EC develop more inclusive and transparent election processes.
Meanwhile, the District Level Elections in 16 of the 47 Electoral Areas in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Constituency have been postponed by the Electoral Commission (EC) over “technical hitches and errors”.
The elections have been rescheduled for Thursday, December 21, 2023, from 0700 hours to 1700 hours.
The affected areas are Brofoyedur/Babinso, Essaman, Anyinasu, Twafo, Odumase/Bantoma, Esiam Nkodwo, Bekoso/Obrawogum, Mando/Tayido, Eshiem Tweikukrom and Denkyira South.
The rest are Enyanmaim, Baa/Amia, Osedze, Brofo (Abaasa), Abaka/Bewora/Ekukrom and Omanso.
The ballot papers for the unit committee members at Brofoyedur/Babinso, Essaman, Anyinasu, Twafo, Odumase/Bantoma, Esiam Nkodwo, Bekoso/Obrawogum, Eshiem Tweikukrom, Denkyira South, Enyanmaim and Baa/Amia could not be printed due to some technical challenges.
For Mando/Tayido, the ballot papers for both the Assembly member aspirants and the Unit committees could not be printed for the same reason.
The Osedze Electoral Area did not receive the full complement of the ballot papers, prompting the Electoral Commission to put the election on hold.
Madam Eunice Bonsi, the District Electoral Officer, who confirmed the postponement to the Ghana News Agency, explained that completely different names were put against the pictures of the assembly member aspirants at Brofo, Omanso and Abaka/Bewora/Ekukrom.
She indicated that she had resolved the issues with both the regional and national offices of the EC and was hoping to receive the ballot papers by tomorrow morning.
“We were told there were technical challenges and I have contacted both the region and the Headquarters to fix the issues.
“I’m expecting the paper by the close of day or early tomorrow so that we can hold the elections on Thursday,” she said.
Earlier in the day, the GNA visited some polling centres in some of the affected areas and observed long queues which fizzled out after it became quite clear the elections would not come on.
Some frustrated voters at the Methodist JHS polling centres one and two, and the Methodist Primary polling centre at the Baa/Amia Electoral Area said they arrived as early as 0445 hours only to be disappointed by the EC.
The electoral officers were seen conversing among themselves. They were not ensuring about the cause of the delay when the GNA enquired in the morning.
