The Electoral Commission (EC) has outlined key measures to uphold transparency and ensure free, fair, and credible presidential and parliamentary elections. These measures were disclosed during an Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Friday, 29 November 2024.
Collation and Accreditation
The EC announced that, in line with Regulation 2(3)(b) of C.I. 127, it has appointed collation officers for all 276 constituencies and 16 regions to assist Returning Officers and regional collation officers in their duties.
The commission revealed it had advertised the positions in the Daily Graphic on 15 August 2024, targeting candidates with backgrounds in statistics, accounting, and related fields. Interviews were conducted by a panel comprising officials from the EC and the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The EC explained that these officers aim to enhance the integrity of result collation. Their primary task is to conduct electronic collation of polling station results for both presidential and parliamentary elections using an Excel template provided by the Commission. They will work independently but alongside Returning Officers, who will perform manual collation for cross-verification.
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Regional collation will occur at EC regional offices.
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National collation will take place in Accra at a location to be announced soon.
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Political parties and presidential candidates will be accredited for two agents per constituency and regional collation centres.
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Domestic and international observers, as well as media, will also receive accreditation to cover the collation process.
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Discussions with GJA and GIBA are ongoing regarding media representation. At the national collation centre, parties will be allowed four agents, with only two present at any time.
Ballot Shortfalls and Discrepancies
Addressing concerns about reprinting ballot papers for Volta and Bono regions, the EC clarified that its regional staff had discovered these shortfalls through routine verification.
The EC emphasised that the Commission has nothing to hide, noting that this is an established procedure
Similar issues were also identified in Greater Accra, Western North, Upper West, Western, and Bono East regions, with political parties duly informed. The EC reassured the public that these steps are part of its transparency and accountability mechanisms.
Source:
www.pulse.com.gh
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