Media not appropriate forum for resolution of disagreement - Dr Afari-Gyan

Accra, Oct. 22, GNA - Dr Kwadwo Afrai-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) on Wednesday said the media is not the appropriate forum for the resolution of disagreement over principle.

"First, it can give undeserved advantage to the side that has easy access to the media to inflict undeserved damage on people's integrity; secondly in this era of phone-in listeners participation, it offers an opportunity for all manner of persons, irrespective of capacity or motive, to blow hot air over the issues.

"Thirdly, the principle at stake can easily be lost sight of in the din of twist, spins and turns that media battles are known to generate," Dr Afari-Gyan stated at a press conference in Accra to respond to media allegation of owing a dollar accounts.

Dr Afari-Gyan said if the country's infant democracy was to be deepened and consolidated then all stakeholders must adhere to the tenet of democratic principles.

He said the essential component of the Rule of Law was that people and institutions, no matter how high or powerful they might be, must not be allowed to overstep their authority.

He said the EC's actions, which had gained it the reputation of being one of the best Electoral Commissions in the world by UNDP assessment, had always been based on the adherence to basic principles. Indeed, in the recent past, upholding principles had underpinned for instance the Commission's stance over, who had the authority to do the National Identification Card, which eventually led to a change in the law and the establishment of the Procurement Committee by the Cabinet.

The AAEA Executive Secretary also debunked the impressions that the Authority was a rich organisations saying the fact was that the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) provides funds to equip the Secretariat and paid its staff.

Dr Afari-Gyan said the USAID also funded the Authority's General Assembly and Advisory Board meetings.

He noted that "from 1998 to date I have offered myself to the AAEA free and refused the offer of a monthly honorarium as Executive Secretary because I believe in what the association stands for and I know that it does not have enough money to carry out its planned programmes."