Non-partisan nature of DLEs responsible for voter apathy – EC

The non-partisan nature of the District Level Elections (DLEs) is a major factor that has contributed to the low turnouts which have characterized the Elections in the past years, the Electoral Commission (EC) has identified.

Nonetheless, Samuel Guggisberg Asrifi-Young, the Bono Regional Director of the EC said the directorate had upscale publicity with personnel of the EC in the region, mounting up Public Address systems in marketplaces, lorry stations and other places of public gathering.

This is to make the public understand, appreciate, and thereby whip their interest and enthusiasm in participating in the upcoming December 19, DLEs so to deepen the local government concept.

Besides, Asirifi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani the directorate had also capitalized on the numerous Information Centers, spread across the region, reaching out to, and explaining the ideology of the local government structures and systems and the need for the eligible voters to participate in the elections.

In accordance with the District Level Elections Regulations, 2015 (C.I. 89), the Electoral Commission will conduct the District Level Elections on December 19, this year.

This follows the expiration of the term of the Assembly and Unit Committee Members December 17, 2023.

As part of the electoral process, Asirifi-Young said the EC would mount a campaign platform for the aspirants to share their visions and aspirations, and therefore called on the electorate to participate to enable them to make informed decision and choices when they go to ballot.

Meanwhile some of the Assembly Member aspirants in the Atoase Electoral Area in the Sunyani Municipality have pledged their commitment to enhance lighting systems, security, and sanitation in the area.

Stephen Kwarteng, popularly known as “Agabus”, the incumbent Assemblyman for the Atoase Electoral Area, called on the electorate to vote for him to enable him to follow-up with certain initiatives that sought to improve environmental hygiene and good sanitation in the area.

He said through his instrumentality, the Municipal Assembly had placed refuse containers and dustbins at vantage points for waste collection and disposal, and promised to ensure that lighting systems were improved at the Sunyani Area Two if the electorate retain him.

According to Mr Ismael Asare Mensah, another aspirant, one of the two public toilets at the Sunyani Area Two had overflowed for some years now, and thereby worsened the sanitation situation in the area.

He said successive Assembly Members in the area had failed the people in tackling their immediate needs, and therefore called on the Sunyani Municipal Assembly to evacuate the toilet before the expected happened.

Mr Mensah expressed concern about the high youth unemployment which was fueling drug abuse and peddling among the youth in the area and appealed to the government to support the youth to engage in employable skill training to better their lives.