EC sets Sept 1 for District Assembly elections

Library Photo: voter casting his vote

Ghana’s Electoral Commission has set September 1, 2015 to hold this year’s District Assembly elections in all electoral areas and units except those in the Lower Manya Krobo district in the Eastern Region.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of operations, Amadu Sulley.

The statement further indicated that “Nomination of candidates will take place on Thursday 2ndand Friday 3rd July, 2015 for the District Assembly elections, and Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July, 2015 for the Unit Committee elections. The nominations will be taken from 9:00am to 12:00 noon and 1:00pm to 5:00pm each day.”

The new date follows a Supreme Court ruling which declared the one slated for March 3 as unconstitutional. The Electoral Commission was thus ordered to restart the entire processes all over again.

The decision was reached by a seven-member Supreme Court judges. The EC has also been asked to use the Constitutional Instrument (CI) 85, which bothers on the clear demarcation of electoral boundaries. That provision had not matured to be passed into law when the EC announced the first date.

It has however now been passed into law by Parliament. According to the statement “Nomination forms may be obtained at the District Office of the Commission or from the Deputy Returning Officer (Special Duties) in the electoral area.

All duly completed nomination forms must be submitted to the Deputy Returning Officer (Special Duties) on the dates set aside as nomination days.”

It went on further to say “A person can contest either the District Assembly Election or the Unit Committee Election but not both elections.

“Prospective candidates are to note that no fee shall be paid for obtaining the nomination forms or for filing to contest the elections. All prospective candidates are to submit four (4) copies of a recent photograph of bust size with red background, showing the full face and both ears.”

“All interested and qualified persons who want to contest any of the elections are to take note and act accordingly” the statement added.