EC apologizes to the media for exemption in special voting exercise

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday apologised to the media for being exempted from the special voting exercise for Election 2012.

The exercise is scheduled for Tuesday, December 4, for security agencies to enable them have ample time to monitor and maintain law and order at the various polling stations on Election Day, Friday, December 7.

Mr Ebenezer Aggrey-Fynn, Commissioner responsible for Brong-Ahafo Region. rendered the apology and said it was not a deliberate plan to exclude the media from the exercise but escaped the Commission.

He was addressing more than 40 media practitioners drawn from the various districts in Brong-Ahafo Region at a day’s workshop to sensitise them on the electoral process.

The EC in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID), European Union (EU) and KAB Governance Consult organised the workshop.

Mr Aggrey-Fynn said the media was key in obtaining credible results in previous elections and expressed the hope that the media would continue to play their responsive roles to sustain national peace.

He announced that the EC had directed election officials to allow any media practitioner with accreditation from the Commission to cast their vote anytime they visited the polling station.

Mr Aggrey-Fynn said 14.7 million voters were expected to exercise their franchise at 26,015 polling stations across the country.

He gave the assurance that the EC had put in place all the required measures to ensure credible elections and asked the media to clarify any information from the electoral officers before publication or air them in the electronic media.

Mr George Gyabaah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the EC, entreated the media to help educate the electorate about the voting and other electoral processes.

He appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage and ensure fairness and partiality as well.

Source: GNA