EC is always firm and fair with regards to the legal framework: Says Sulley Amadu



Mr Sulley Amadu (Middle)

The Deputy Commissioner, Finance and Administration at the Electoral Commission, Sulley Amadu has reacted strongly to allegations pointing to the fact that the Electoral Commission was not firm on decisions taken with regards to legal frameworks governing the country’s electoral system. He explained that the EC as custodians of the country’s electoral process do not dictate or use its own digression on critical issues bordering on election but rather arrive at decisions based on consensus after consultation with its relevant stakeholders. Mr Amadu who was reacting to concerns raised by participants at the opening of a 2-day Review Meeting organised by the EC at Bolgatanga, said challenges encountered during the 2012 elections have been noted by the EC, stating that checks and mechanisms would  be considered to forestall future occurrences. The meeting which was being supported by KAB Governance Consult and DFID-UK among other collaborators brought together stakeholders in the electoral process including political party representatives as well personnel from CHRAJ and the NCCE. It was on theme: ‘‘Enhancing the Credibility of Ghana’s 2012 Elections’’. Reflecting on the challenges of the 2012 election, Mr Amadu recounted that even though the EC anticipated a possible breakdown of the biometric verification kits, it was difficult to combine both the manual and the electronic system of voting, emphasising that almost all political parties before the election insisted that electorates go through the biometric voting system, hence the popular mantra ‘No Verification, No vote’ (NV NV). The decision, he explained, was based on a unanimous decision taken during the National Inter Party Advisory Committee Meeting (IPAC).  According to him, the EC could have decided to take a firm position on the issue but because the EC is a listening organisation that tries to build consensus, it gave room for its stakeholders to decide for the interest of the electorates. In view of this however, the EC  incorporated the situation in the declaration of the results form by creating a column C3, where presiding officers took data of the number of registered voters that could not go through the voting process because of the breakdown of the kits. He told Radio Ghana that the EC has always listened to its critical stakeholders particularly political parties and would not impose laws that would undermine the integrity of the institution. The Regional Director of the EC, Mr Bruce Ayisi, in his submission revealed that the breakdown of the BVDs affected the smooth process of the 2012 election, adding that rejected ballot and the high rejection of voters due to traumatised fingers also posed a major challenge. Mr Ayisi therefore appealed to relevant stakeholders and electorates to bear with the EC in rectifying those challenges. He commended the various security agencies and the media for contributing to the smooth conduct of the election in the region and called for their continuous cooperation in ensuring a more credible election come 2016. The Review Meeting sought to discuss issues pertaining to the election, identify challenges that were encountered as well as to solicit recommendations for improving upon subsequent elections. 
GBC                                                          END                                                             IA/