EC tasks media to intensify education on the District Level Elections
The Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday tasked the media especially the Frequency Modulation (FM) stations to intensify education on the on-going District and Unit Committee Elections.
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan EC Chairman, urged the press to acquaint themselves of the new dates for the District Assembly and Unit Committee elections to educate the people to turn-out massively to vote.
In an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra, Dr Afari-Gyan expressed concern about the pronouncements of some leading politicians and media practitioners on the electoral operational hiccups.
“Local government structure is the support base of our democratic development and our actions must not undermine it,” Dr Afari-Gyan said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mohammed Addoquaye, Greater Accra Regional Electoral Officer told Ghana News Agency that there were reports indicating that some leading politicians, political party officials and unaccredited officials were touring the polling centres to offer instructions to Presiding Officers.
He said this attitude must stop immediately.
A tour of polling centres in the Greater Accra Region by the GNA indicated that voting started throughout the nine districts on time at 0700 hours and although there were delays at some polling centres because of late arrival of voting material, the exercise was going on smoothly.
The voting centres were Ayawaso, Adentan, Osu Clottey, Tema, Ga East, Kpeshie, Ashiedu Keteke, Ga South, and Ga West.
Voting in the other six districts; Dangme West, Okaikwei, Ashaiman, Ablekuma, Ledzokuku-Krowor and Dangme East have been fixed tentatively for Friday, December 31.
Available statistics indicates that 2,501 candidates filed to contest the Unit Committee Election in the Region, while 1,269 filed to contest the District Assembly Election.
About 331 women are contesting the Unit Committee Election compared to 2,170 men, while 133 women are contesting the District Assembly Election as against 1,136 men.
Osu Clottey has the lowest women contestants of only three for the Unit Committee Election, while Ablekuma has the highest of 46.
There is no woman contesting for the Ashiedu Keteke Assembly, while Tema has the highest number of 25 women contesting.
At Ayawaso the 69 contestants are made up of 60 men and nine women for the District Assembly Election and 190 contestants made up of 166 men and 24 women for the Unit Committees.
At Adenta, 33 contestants made up of 26 men and seven women are vying for the assembly election while 46 contestants – 33 men and 13 women are contesting the Unit Committee polls.
Osu Clottey has 34 contestants – 32 men and two women for the assembly election while 42 contestants – 39 men and three women for the Unit Committees.
Data for Tema shows that 183 contestants – 158 men and 25 women for the assembly, while – 123 men and 14 women are vying for the Unit Committees, Ga East has 68 contestants – 58 men and 10 women for the assembly while 149 contestants – 132 men and 17 women for the Unit Committee.
At Kpeshie 26 contestants–22 men and four women are vying for the district assembly, while 69 contestants – 61 men and eight women are contesting for the unit committee polls at Ashiedu Keteke.
All the 33 contestants vying for seats at the assembly are men, while for the unit committee has 73 contestants made up of 67 men and six women.
In Ga South 121 contestants – 111 men and 10 women are contesting for the assembly, while 276 contestants – 249 men and 27 women are vying for the Unit Committee.
According to the EC, there has been an increase of electoral areas in the Greater Accra Region from 236 to 349 with the creation of additional 113 electoral areas.
Electoral areas in Ga West District increased from 18 to 25; Ga East from 10 to 19; Ga South from 14 to 35; Okaikwei from 12 to 19; Ablekuma from 18 to 24; Ashiedu Keteke from three to seven; and Osu Clottey from seven to nine.
Others are, Ayawaso from 15 to 17; Kpeshie from five to 10; Lezokuku-Krowor from eight to 24; Tema from 39 to 51; Ashaiman from 11 to 15; Adenta from four to 12; Dangme West from 36 to 40 and Dangme East from 36 to 42.
Source: GNA