January 15, 2011

The Minority in Parliament have petitioned the Speaker of the House to recall members to reconvene early to probe the conduct of the district level elections.

The MPs are worried about the numerous problems that characterized the process. The exercise was originally scheduled for December 28 2010. But it was postponed because it was fraught with numerous challenges including absence of ballot papers in various districts.

Since the first postponement, the process has been described as chaotic with voters and candidates blaming the E.C.

The Minority MPs numbering about 60 want the Electoral Commission to explain why it failed to ensure a smooth conduct of the exercise.

They want to pre-empt a repeat in the 2012 general elections. MP for Esikaado Joe Ghartey who spoke for the petitioners said, “This process is not seeking to give instructions to the Electoral Commission, this is merely seeking rather to let the people of Ghana regain confidence in the electoral process.”

He said many a Ghanaian were scared the problems that plagued the assembly elections may resurface in the general elections in 2012 in which case that will a recipe for disaster.

But NDC MP for Sege Alfred Abayateye has described the urgent recall as unnecessary.

He said it appears the NPP MPs have no use for the period of recess. For him, such occurrences in elections are normal.

Source: Joy Fm