Judge calls for objectivity in elections

Denu, April 22, GNA - Mr Godwin Kwasi-Kumah, a circuit court judge at Aflao has appealed to persons who have been place in positions to prepare the country towards the December elections to remain objective in their decisions so that the growth of democracy in the country could be sustained.

He noted that Ghana had carved herself an enviable position as a developing democracy in Africa and beyond, making it imperative for all citizens to allow for credible elections to enhance that image.

Inaugurating an eight-member Registration Review Committee for the Ketu District at Denu on Wednesday, he said "we must be objective in whatever capacities, eschewing partisanship and adhering to the constitution." Mr Kwasi-Kumah said Ghanaians must now pre-occupy themselves with the task of deepening the pace of the growth of democracy by making sure that they had free and fair elections and not allowing conflict of interest to overcome them in the electoral process.

He also asked the political parties in particular and Ghanaians in general to allow for the growth of a perfect electoral process, by allowing the constitution to run freely.

The Review Committee, which would adjudicate on challenges made against people who showed up for registration has Togbe Amenya Fiti, V, Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area as Chairman with Mr Dogbey Selormey, Ketu District Election Officer, representing the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) as its Statutory Secretary.

Others are representatives from the Ghana Education Service (GES), National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Peoples National Convention (PNC), Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and the National Democratic Party (NDC).

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) representative, who is the ninth member of the Committee, however, failed to turn up for the inauguration. Mr Kwasi-Kumah asked the committee members to consider themselves as judges and use their discretion and the Constitution in the handling of the cases.

He warned that they would be answerable to the Constitution if they acted capriciously.

Mr Selormey said there were 26 challenges, made up of two each on residence and citizenship, and 22 on age.

He said 132,975 registered in the district, which had two constituencies, against 142,587 in the previous register, a drop of 9,612.

He mentioned the breakdown at the constituency level as 86,380 in Ketu-South and 46,595 for Ketu-North as against 89,175 and 53,412 respectively in the previous register.