EC trains returning and district electoral officers

- Mr Steven Opoku-Mensah, Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) said the commission will not hesitate to dismiss any polling assistant found to be dealing with any political party.

“The EC will want to work with a group of people who are credible and sincere and ready to assist the commission to fulfil its mandate,” he said.

Mr Opoku-Mensah said this at a day's training workshop for 81 District Electoral Officers (DEO) and Returning Officers (RO) in the Western Region at Takoradi over the weekend.

He reminded ROs that Presiding Officers (PO) played an important role in the entire electoral process and the necessary cordiality and cooperation should be extended to them.

Mr Opoku-Mensah said all officers recruited to assist in the electoral process must play their respective roles effectively to avoid conflicts and other acts that could ruin the entire electoral process.

He urged the ROs and POs to solve problems as they come and should do everything possible to ensure a peaceful process.

Mr George Ghabaa, Regional Operations Director, speaking on the duties of the presiding officer urged all persons engaged in the December elections to open the polling station early and set up materials properly.

He said the process must be transparent, fair and unique but this will depend on the various roles of the individuals engaged by the Commission.

Mr Ben. Bano-Bio, Deputy Regional Director appealed to the ROs and POs to draw a strategic plan for the distribution and collection of their electoral materials to make the entire exercise successful.

He said when a systematic plan is drawn; all electoral materials will reach its destination early to enable voting to begin on time.

All the 81 personnel were later presented with mobile phones loaded with 80 Ghana cedis worth of credit for smooth communication between the EC and any other staff. The phones were donated by the EC specifically for the elections.