E.C Boss backs Partisan District Assembly Elections

Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan has entreated Ghanaian Professionals to contest in the District Level Elections (DLEs) so as to enrich quality of district assemblies to accelerate development at the grassroots.

According to him, though the local government system is the foundation for the country’s democracy and development, it lacks the requisite human resources to effectively deliver to the citizenry.  

“Next time, all of you, become candidates, for you’ll improve the quality of the assemblies,” the E.C boss told Journalists during a day’s capacity building workshop in Ho on Monday.

Partisan Participation in DLEs

He also alluded to suggestions that the local government elections should be made partisan, saying “eventually in the future, we have to open it up to partisan participation, because they (parties) are behind the scenes,” though the law currently barred parties from doing so.

Low turnout renders registration officers idle in the Volta region

The ongoing 10-day limited Voter Registration exercise continues to experience low patronage by prospective first time voters across the Volta region.

A tour of some registration centres on Wednesday by the Volta Regional Minister Helen Ntoso saw most registration officers idling with some having a nap due to the dull nature of the weather.

The Regional Minister first stop was at the Ho Municipal Assembly registration centre, where, the Registration officer said since the start of the exercise on Monday, a total 19 people were registered as of 12:30PM. At the Dzolokpuita and Amedzofe registration centers in the Ho West District, a total of 23 and 12 people were registered as of 1:00pm respectively.

In the South Dayi District, the Regional Minister accompanied by the District Chief Executive visited the Peki-Wodome L/a JHS and Peki Blengo E.P. church registration centres, where a total of 15 and 28 people were registered respectively.

Registration officers at the centres visited disclosed that, because of the recent Supreme Court invalidation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards for use in the exercise, majority of persons who were registered brought along guarantors.

Mr. Gbagbo Charles, a member of the Ho West district Assembly blamed the low turnout at the Vane and Amedzofe areas on the distance people in adjourning communities have to travel before registering.