EC says it submitted its budget early

Accra, Sept. 10, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) on Wednesday debunked assertion by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) that the Commission submitted its budget to government late.

"To set the records straight the Commission on October 29, 2002 submitted to MOF its entire budget for 2003 and 2004, which included the replacement of the voters register and the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections for 2004," Mr Henry W. Okyne EC Director of Public Affairs told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.

Mr Okyne said unfortunately at a budget hearing the EC was advised, because of MOF's own ceiling to separate the recurrent and development budget and submit the operational budget under the title "Special Budget".

The EC Director was reacting to Daily Graphic issue of Wednesday, September 3, under the caption "$5m for New Voter ID Cards" that alleged that Dr Akoto Osei, Deputy Minister of Finance accused the Commission of late submission of its Budget.

Dr Akoto had said, "the Commission could have informed the government about its programmes before the budget was prepared so that it could have been factored into the National Budget for 2003.

Mr Okyne said that statement has put the Commission in a bad state in the eyes of the public as well as some social commentators since the publication.

He explained that the EC complied and resubmitted the budget on November 8, 2002. It must be noted that with the introduction of Medium Term Expenditure Framework the Commission submitted a three-year budget to the MOF indicating funds it needed for the 2003, 2004 and 2005 programmes.

Due to price changes as a result of the 2003 National Budget, an updated budget of 213.146 billion Cedis was submitted for 2003 and 2004.

For the replacement of the voters register 113 billion cedis was requested and 100 billion cedis for Elections in 2004.

He said a meeting followed this between the EC and MOF on July 3, 2003 at which it was asked for a second option aimed at reducing the budget level.

Mr Okyne said the Commission re-submitted the budget in its totality for both 2003 and 2004 activities on August 2, 2003.

He said government, however, approved only 89 billion for the replacement of the voters' register and 93 billion cedis for the 2004 elections.

The EC Director of Public Affairs assured the general public and all stakeholders in the 2004 Elections that no stone would be left unturned to ensure the successful execution of the task ahead of it.

Meanwhile the Commission has intensified work on the opening of the new voters register, either in the last week of November or first week of December this year.

Mr Okyne said Electoral items that needed to be imported offshore has been ordered, including the registration forms and additional cameras.