Ghana: Electoral body given go-ahead to hold local elections

Parliament on Wednesday, June 10 gave the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) the greenlight to hold the district level elections, which were suspended as a result of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Ghana.

The Court ruled as unconstitutional the processes leading to the opening of nominations for both the Unit Committee and District Assembly elections after an aspirant from Winneba in the Central Region, Benjamin Eyi Mensah, filed a writ against the election-organising body for wrongful disqualification.

The country's highest court of jurisdiction, therefore, asked the Commission to lay a fresh legislation, Constitutional Instrument 89, before Parliament to travel a mandatory 21 days of maturity.

The EC, accordingly, laid the new legislation before Parliament on Friday, March 20.

The elections were scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 3.

The Commission had spent at least GH¢310 million on preparation on the cancelled polls and is said to need GH¢90 million more to run the elections after the greenlight has been given.

The elections were to be the last to be held under the superintendence of Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan - who has been Electoral Commissioner since 1993 - but he is expected to proceed on retirement at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, some Members on Wednesday raised concerns about the transfer of votes, which they claim had to be done within 42 days of an election.

According to the MPs, the EC had continued with the exercise bringing it to an end only last week, a move which, they claim, is illegal.

-TV3network.com