NPP is consistent with stance on Novemer 7 – Kyei Mensah

The Minority leader of Parliament says the stance of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the Novemer 7 date for the general election has been consistent.

Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu says they are concerned about the preparedness of the Electoral Commission to hold the elections on the new date.

“The state of unpreparedness of the EC is something that comes up in all our discussions,” he told Parliament Thursday as the House debates the Constitutional Amendment Bill.

The Bill to amend the constitution and allow the Electoral Commission (EC) to hold the 2016 general election has elicited a mixed response.

Whereas the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) believes the EC is prepared to hold the election in November, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) believes otherwise.

The NPP’s position has been hinged on what it described as the unpreparedness of the EC.

It believes the failure of the government to release an amount of Ghc1.2 billion to the Commission for the elections could affect the conduct of the election.

It has therefore argued the new date be deferred to 2020 to give the Commission enough time to prepare for the new date.

Although this position has been opposed by the EC which says it is ready, Mr Osei-Kyei Mensah says the NPP still stands by its position.

He explained that on a number of occasions that they have met with the Commissioners, the issue of non-availability of funds has been raised.

“On the occasion that we have met the EC, it has been agreed the Ministry of Finance is in default in releasing the money,” he said.

According to him, it is only in Ghana that barely four months into the election nobody knows what is going on with the Commission.

He appealed to the House to consider the NPP’s position for the Commission to hold the election in December.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill currently before the House will require two-third majority of Members of Parliament.

Currently none of the largest political parties could muster the needed votes to pass the bill.

The failure to accept the bill means the EC will have to hold the elections on the original date of December 7.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | AKABP