Africa-Press – Ghana. The Chamber of Local Governance (CHALoG) has issued a one-week ultimatum to the Electoral Commission (EC) to conduct the long-awaited district assembly and unit committee by-elections in vacant electoral areas across the country.
The demand follows the EC’s announcement of an indefinite postponement of the by-elections, initially scheduled for December 11.
Dr. Richard Fiadomor, President of CHALoG, expressed disappointment and described the EC’s action as an affront to decentralisation. He said the postponement was unacceptable, especially after a date had been announced and aspirants had begun campaigning.
“The EC’s decision is a reckless and irresponsible statement from a constitutional body. If the EC fails to provide a definite date within the next week, CHALoG will take the matter to court to compel the Commission to conduct the elections,” he stated.
Dr. Fiadomor said the decision had raised concerns about the EC’s capacity to manage elections effectively and underscored the need for transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
He stressed that the ultimatum was to remind the Commission of its constitutional responsibility to conduct by-elections in vacant electoral areas.
The CHALoG President said the postponement had attracted criticism from stakeholders and created uncertainty and frustration among affected communities.
Some residents described CHALoG’s move as significant in the ongoing discussions about electoral administration, noting that its outcome could have far-reaching implications for democratic governance.
They reiterated the need for electoral reforms to ensure the EC had the independence and resources required to conduct free and fair elections when necessary.
In the Keta Municipality, for instance, the Anyako Electoral Area is awaiting a by-election following the elevation of the Assembly Member, Mr. Wisdom Seade, to the position of Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), rendering the seat vacant.
CHALoG gives EC one-week ultimatum to conduct district assembly by-elections
By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
The Chamber of Local Governance (CHALoG) has issued a one-week ultimatum to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) to conduct the long-awaited district assembly and unit committee by-elections across the vacant electoral areas in the country.
The move followed the EC’s announcement of an indefinite postponement of the elections until further notice.
Dr Richard Fiadomor, the President of CHALoG, expressed disappointment and frustration about the EC’s decision, describing it as an affront to decentralisation and emphasised that the excuses for postponing the elections was unacceptable, especially after the announcement of initial date and people had begun campaigning.
“The EC’s decision is a reckless and irresponsible statement from a constitutional body, and if the EC fails to provide a definite date for the elections within the next week, CHALoG will take the matter to court to compel them to conduct the election,” he noted.
He explained that the EC had initially scheduled the by-elections for December 11, but postponed them indefinitely, with unspecified reasons and the CHALoG has charged them to expedite preparations and conduct the elections as soon as possible.
He said the postponement has raised concern about the EC’s ability to manage elections effectively and highlighted that the EC need transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
“CHALoG’s stand of the ultimatum is just to indicate the responsibilities EC has to conduct by-elections in the vacant electoral areas. We are determined to ensure that the EC fulfills its constitutional mandate.”
CHALog President indicated that the EC’s decision to postponed the elections has been met with several criticisms from various stakeholders and has also created uncertainty and frustration among affected electoral areas.
Some residents said that the move by CHALoG to persuade the EC to conduct by-election was a significant development in the ongoing debate about the electoral process in the country and the outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for the democratic governance.
They said that the situation demonstrated the need for electoral reform to ensure that the EC has the necessary independence and resources to conduct free and fair elections when necessary.
Some areas, including Anyako electoral area in the Keta municipality of the Volta region, was also waiting for the by-election after Mr. Wisdom Seade, the former assembly member, was elevated to the position of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) making the position vacant.
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