IDEG, CDD, GACC and others petition EC to reconsider their almost month-long holiday
Adnan Adams Mohammed
Eight notable Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country have petitioned the Electoral Commission of Ghana to reconsider its intended decision to take almost a month-long (26 days) Christmas holidays.
Ghanaians
on Monday, December 21, 2020, sighted a circular signed by the Deputy Chair
(Corporate Services) of the EC, Dr Bossman E. Asare, suggesting that the
Electoral Commission (EC) may be going on recess from the 23rd December 2020 to
19th January 2021.
This, the CSOs after an emergency meeting find it unacceptable that the EC should be shutting down at this critical moment at this critical moment, and without any clarification to the public of the alternative arrangements that have been put in place at a time when there are serious post-election issues and unpardonable errors by the EC rising tension in the country.
“We further call on the EC to review its
decision on its intended one-month long leave, and assure Ghanaians that until
these matters are resolved, the leadership of the Commission will be on duty to
discharge its responsibilities fully”, the statement jointly signed by the
eight CSOs stated.
Read full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT
From Civil
Society Organisations in Election Programming
(For Immediate
Release – 22nd December 2020)
Addressing the Current Post-Elections Political
Impasse
At
an emergency meeting of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to assess the current post-elections political impasse, we
noted with concern, a circular signed by the Deputy Chair (Corporate Services)
of the EC, Dr Bossman E. Asare, suggesting that the Electoral Commission (EC)
may be going on recess from the 23rd December 2020 to 19th
January 2021.
Given
the current post-elections context and the matters arising, some of which might
require their attention, we find it unacceptable that the EC should be shutting
down at this critical moment at this critical moment, and without any
clarification to the public of the alternative arrangements that have been put
in place.
We
have also observed with concern that the minority party in Parliament was
barred from submitting a petition to the Electoral Commission today by security
personnel, thereby preventing them from making their presentation. In light of
the EC’s response that it received the notice late, and that it holds the
institution of Parliament in high regard, we kindly urge the Minority to
re-submit their petition and the results it has, to the EC, as soon as
possible, for prompt action.
We
call on the EC to activate mechanisms for inclusive stakeholder dialogue as
part of the electoral management process.
We
further call on the EC to review its decision on its intended one-month long
leave, and assure Ghanaians that until these matters are resolved, the
leadership of the Commission will be on duty to discharge its responsibilities
fully.
Finally,
we urge all political parties and Ghanaians to use peaceful means of
protesting, dialogue and legal means for resolving disagreements.
Signatories:
Institute
for Democratic Governance (IDEG)
Ghana
Integrity Initiative (GII)
Centre
for Democratic Development (CDD)
Media
Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
Civic
Forum Initiative (CFI)
Ghana
Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC)
Norsaac
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