DLE: EC was ill-prepared – Vanderpuye

Former Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation & Rural Development, Mr Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has expressed strong criticism towards the Electoral Commission (EC) for its perceived lack of preparedness in conducting the District-Level Elections (DLE).

The Odododiodiodio Member of Parliament emphasised that the EC had ample time, approximately two years, to plan for the elections and should not be excused for the observed lapses.

While the District-Level Elections on Tuesday were generally peaceful with low turnout, the EC postponed voting in certain electoral areas in some regions citing technical challenges, including a shortage of ballot papers.

The EC issued an apology for the inconvenience and attributed the delays to some printers not delivering on the contract, prompting the rescheduling of the elections to Thursday, December 21, in affected areas.

Mr Vanderpuye firmly rejected the EC's explanations, asserting that the commission was inefficient and ineffective in its handling of the election.

He questioned the EC's preparations, considering the two-year timeframe and multiple postponements.

Mr Vanderpuye argued that the EC's duty is to adequately prepare for all elections, including district-level ones, and criticised the commission for not demonstrating the right attitude, mindset, and preparation for these elections.

Drawing attention to the history of District-Level Elections in Ghana, Mr Vanderpuye highlighted the consistently low voter turnout since their inception in 1988.

He urged the EC to learn from the current experience and start preparations immediately for the national elections in 2024 to avoid similar hiccups.

Mr Vanderpuye dismissed the EC's explanation about printer issues, contending that the commission should have selected contractors well in advance, allowing adequate time for printing and quality checks.

He stressed that the EC's failure to do so reflects a lack of preparation on its part.

Mr Vanderpuye called for accountability and insisted that the EC must fulfil its mandate to prepare sufficiently for every election in the country, emphasising the importance of avoiding similar challenges in the upcoming national elections in 2024.

He made this comment while speaking in an interview on JoyNews' PM Express on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.