Rescind your decision to go on recess – CSO’s to EC

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called on the Electoral Commission to review its decision to go on break following the organization of the 2020 elections.

According to them, there are pressing and critical issues from the election that requires the EC to remain in service and they cannot afford a break.

“Given the current post-election 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,” the CSOs said in a statement.

The Electoral Commission announced earlier this week that it will go on a break on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

It said it will resume work on Tuesday, January 19, 2020.

This development comes at a time when members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have registered their displeasure of the 2020 elections and have urged the EC to review its work among other things provide official results from the Techiman South constituency.

The NDC and its supporters have held several protests nationwide to make their case against the EC has not taken any action on their concerns.

On Tuesday December 22, some NDC MPs clashed with police officers while attempting to petition the EC formally to address their concerns.

They were prevented from filing their petition.

The EC later in a statement said the NDC failed to give them prior notice of the petition.

But the CSOs’ have since urged the Minority Caucus to resubmit their petition to the EC to be reviewed.

“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,” they added.

Read the statement below:

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 23^rdDecember 2020 to 19^thJanuary 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 itsintendedone-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)

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