?140m Expended On Kumawu Election

A total of ?140 million was budgeted for the Kumawu by-election held at 92 polling stations throughout the constituency, reliable sources close to the finance directorate of the Electoral Commission (EC) has said.

Details could not be given as actual expenditure was still being retired when Chronicle enquired.

The components of the budget included printing of posters, nomination notices, ballot papers and directional forms.

Others are the public education (advertisements and announcements) component, training, feeding and transportation of officials to and from the constituency.

The said budgetary allocation also catered for logistics, including fuel, lubricants, monetary and stipends for security.

According to a pre-election operational plan by the EC five boats, six tractors and 13 bicycles were procured for the four main areas of the Afram plains, namely Drobonso, Anyinofe, Dawia and Funmsua.

The EC also provided lamps and life jackets for officials working in the riverine areas.

The Chronicle gathered that in the case of Kumawu, printing of materials was not extensive as there were enough in store, explaining the minimal overall cost of ?140 million.

The cost involved in an election depends on the number of polling stations which is determined by the inputs. "In this case the cost could be higher or lower," the paper gathered.