NPP lauds Afari-Gyan

The Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lauded Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) for his role in Ghana’s democratic dispensation.

Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, NPP Minority Leader in Parliament, said despite the fact that the EC Chairman stood against virtually any attempt to reform the electoral process since 1995, including the introduction of photo ID cards, allowing party agents to be closer to the EC officers to be able to monitor events and issuing political parties with voters register.

He mentioned others as allowing political parties to witness the printing of ballot papers and the compilation of a more credible voters register when the occasion has warranted, stating that: “That is not to say that Dr Afari-Gyan’s EC does not deserve any commendation at all”.

Mr Mensah-Bonsu made the commendation in Accra when he presented the Minority’s State of the Nation Address at a press briefing dubbed “The True Message of the Present State of the Nation, 2015”.

“In the lead up to the elections of 2012 the number of constituencies to be contested for was not known as late as September 2012; that is less than three months before the conduct of the elections, no thanks to the gerreymanderring of constituency boundaries by the EC,” he stated.

He said constituencies, electoral areas, polling stations and other rules and regulations relating to elections must be known to all political parties and contestants early enough to ensure effective planning and strategizing.

“Predictability is a fundamental rule in elections but it appears our EC has scant regard for these fundamental rules,” the Minority Leader said.

Source: GNA