Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor - A civil society group has recommended that if an ongoing process to enable the Elections Commission (EC) hold elections in November this year delays, its implementation should be pushed to the next general elections.
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Civic Initiative Forum (CFI) says its assessment of the Parliamentary process to change Ghana’s election date from December 7 to November 7 every four years could force the Commission to rush things to the detriment of the electoral process.
“If it becomes clear that we cannot go through the processes that we are required to do, the proper thing for [legislators] to do is to pass the bill into law but also insert into that law an implementation date that would be around 2020,” said Chairman of CFI, Major-General Nii Carl Coleman.
“If it becomes clear that we cannot go through the processes that we are required to do, the proper thing for [legislators] to do is to pass the bill into law but also insert into that law an implementation date that would be around 2020,” said Chairman of CFI, Major-General Nii Carl Coleman.
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The elections management body has said, once Parliament approves the constitutional amendment currently before it, it will ensure that the Presidential and Parliamentary elections come off smoothly as planned on November 7.
Sceptics, notably the New Patriotic Party (NPP), however, say the EC may run into time constraints as it already has a lot to do as part of preparations for the general elections.
After a public forum on Wednesday, CFI and other civil society groups seem to have softened their stance against a change of date to November, although some still remain unconvinced.
Major Coleman told Joy News’ Felix Akoyam that once the law is passed, the EC can rest and stick to its earlier December date in order to prevent undue pressure on its activities.
He said provided the law is passed and states clearly that Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be held on the first Monday of November, the EC would have been fulfilled its aim.
Calls for the general elections to come off one month earlier than the current date has been fuelled by civil society groups who say the December 7 dates impedes smooth transition from one administration to the next.
Sceptics, notably the New Patriotic Party (NPP), however, say the EC may run into time constraints as it already has a lot to do as part of preparations for the general elections.
After a public forum on Wednesday, CFI and other civil society groups seem to have softened their stance against a change of date to November, although some still remain unconvinced.
Major Coleman told Joy News’ Felix Akoyam that once the law is passed, the EC can rest and stick to its earlier December date in order to prevent undue pressure on its activities.
He said provided the law is passed and states clearly that Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections will be held on the first Monday of November, the EC would have been fulfilled its aim.
Calls for the general elections to come off one month earlier than the current date has been fuelled by civil society groups who say the December 7 dates impedes smooth transition from one administration to the next.
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