ON THE MARCH FOR A PEACEFUL ELECTION 2008
ON THE MARCH FOR A PEACEFUL ELECTION 2008
BY: PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-EAST MAMPRUSI DIST. GAMBAGA November 25, 2008
As minutes, hours, days and weeks run out for the December 07, 2008 general elections, various civil society groups and the national security apparatus are doing all within their powers and resources to ensure that the 2008 elections are held devoid of violence and anarchy throughout the country.
One such group is the East Mamprusi District Security Task Force Committee.
The main objective of the task force is to meet and hold discussions with opinion leaders including assembly persons, traditional heads, religious bodies and political party representatives with the view to identifying flashpoints and concerns that are likely to compromise peace and order during the elections and aftermath.
The East Mamprusi District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Jose Sanze who is the chairman of the task force reminded citizens at one of the meetings held at Gambaga that no person or group of persons is allowed to organize a rally or public gathering without first writing to the police five clear days before the event for permission. He said the police will be extra vigilant on December 07 thus no person in possession of offensive weapons with the intent to causing chaos will be arrested and made to face the law squarely.
ASP Sanze further advised all and sundry to desist from taking the law in their own hands but rather report any irregularities at polling stations to the police for appropriate action to be executed.
The East Mamprusi District Director of the EC, Mr. A. A. Osman reminded the electorate that voting begins at 7:00am and that no one should deliberately wait and do last-minute voting since the EC will adhere strictly to the time schedule.
According the EC director, all party functionaries and polling agents will briefed on what is expected of them on election day in order for all to conduct themselves according to laid down electoral regulations. He stated that his office will declare the parliamentary results after collating figures from all polling stations whilst that of presidential will be sent the EC head office in Accra for onward declaration.
To allay the fears of some political parties which suspect the EC’s staff to be bias, Mr. Osman declared “the EC has never cheated any party and does not intend to cheat any party for the other”. He also advised people against multiple voting adding “after casting your vote, don’t loiter about the polling station”.
A staff of the NCCE, Mr. Yidana Abdulai advised all political parties to choose only people who can read and write as their party agents so that they will be able to record electoral proceedings correctly. This will eliminate misunderstanding among parties.
A participant at one of the meetings in Sakogu, Mr. Iddrisu Adam asked what measures the EC will take when a voter goes to cast his or her ballot only to find that his/her name has already been ticked as having voted.
In response, an EC officer Mr. Tia Missim said as far as the voter in question does not have the electoral stain on his or her finger, such a voter will be allowed to vote. Mr. Missim also indicated that EC has refashioned most of the electoral rules to further the credibility of voting process. For instance a ballot cast with the thumb print on a candidate’s portrait will be considered valid unlike in previous polls.
He expressed regret that as late as the last week of November no single political party in the Nalerigu-Gambaga constituency has yet submitted its list of party agents for any of the 93 polling stations.
At a similar meeting in Nalerigu, an assemblyman for Zarifong, Mr. Mahami Sumani cautioned the EC to devote particular attention to returning officers so that all ballot boxes are returned in time to the EC since delays will breed suspicion as to whether or not extra ballots could be added.
The membership of the committee comprises the Ghana Prisons and Police Services, the Information Services Department, the Electoral Commission [EC], the National Commission for Civic Education [NCCE] and the District Assembly. A total of five meetings were held with stakeholders at Sakogu, Gbintri, Lagbensi, Gambaga and Nalerigu.
BY: PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-EAST MAMPRUSI DIST. GAMBAGA November 25, 2008
As minutes, hours, days and weeks run out for the December 07, 2008 general elections, various civil society groups and the national security apparatus are doing all within their powers and resources to ensure that the 2008 elections are held devoid of violence and anarchy throughout the country.
One such group is the East Mamprusi District Security Task Force Committee.
The main objective of the task force is to meet and hold discussions with opinion leaders including assembly persons, traditional heads, religious bodies and political party representatives with the view to identifying flashpoints and concerns that are likely to compromise peace and order during the elections and aftermath.
The East Mamprusi District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Jose Sanze who is the chairman of the task force reminded citizens at one of the meetings held at Gambaga that no person or group of persons is allowed to organize a rally or public gathering without first writing to the police five clear days before the event for permission. He said the police will be extra vigilant on December 07 thus no person in possession of offensive weapons with the intent to causing chaos will be arrested and made to face the law squarely.
ASP Sanze further advised all and sundry to desist from taking the law in their own hands but rather report any irregularities at polling stations to the police for appropriate action to be executed.
The East Mamprusi District Director of the EC, Mr. A. A. Osman reminded the electorate that voting begins at 7:00am and that no one should deliberately wait and do last-minute voting since the EC will adhere strictly to the time schedule.
According the EC director, all party functionaries and polling agents will briefed on what is expected of them on election day in order for all to conduct themselves according to laid down electoral regulations. He stated that his office will declare the parliamentary results after collating figures from all polling stations whilst that of presidential will be sent the EC head office in Accra for onward declaration.
To allay the fears of some political parties which suspect the EC’s staff to be bias, Mr. Osman declared “the EC has never cheated any party and does not intend to cheat any party for the other”. He also advised people against multiple voting adding “after casting your vote, don’t loiter about the polling station”.
A staff of the NCCE, Mr. Yidana Abdulai advised all political parties to choose only people who can read and write as their party agents so that they will be able to record electoral proceedings correctly. This will eliminate misunderstanding among parties.
A participant at one of the meetings in Sakogu, Mr. Iddrisu Adam asked what measures the EC will take when a voter goes to cast his or her ballot only to find that his/her name has already been ticked as having voted.
In response, an EC officer Mr. Tia Missim said as far as the voter in question does not have the electoral stain on his or her finger, such a voter will be allowed to vote. Mr. Missim also indicated that EC has refashioned most of the electoral rules to further the credibility of voting process. For instance a ballot cast with the thumb print on a candidate’s portrait will be considered valid unlike in previous polls.
He expressed regret that as late as the last week of November no single political party in the Nalerigu-Gambaga constituency has yet submitted its list of party agents for any of the 93 polling stations.
At a similar meeting in Nalerigu, an assemblyman for Zarifong, Mr. Mahami Sumani cautioned the EC to devote particular attention to returning officers so that all ballot boxes are returned in time to the EC since delays will breed suspicion as to whether or not extra ballots could be added.
The membership of the committee comprises the Ghana Prisons and Police Services, the Information Services Department, the Electoral Commission [EC], the National Commission for Civic Education [NCCE] and the District Assembly. A total of five meetings were held with stakeholders at Sakogu, Gbintri, Lagbensi, Gambaga and Nalerigu.
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