The Electoral Commission (EC) says it is 95 percent prepared to deliver successful, credible, fair and orderly elections on December 7, 2020.
The Chairperson of the electoral management body, Jean Mensa, has assured that issues related to procurement, logistics and the conduct of the election within a safe environment despite the advent of COVID-19 have been thrashed out.
Speaking at a special hearing of the EC in Parliament on Saturday, she said her outfit’s preparedness is expressed in the procurement of a variety of election materials for the election including ballot boxes, thumbprint pads, stationery, identification jackets, polling station booths, rechargeable lamps, indelible ink, educational posters, seals among others.
“Mr Speaker, I am pleased to inform you that the Electoral Commission is 95 per cent ready for the successful, credible, fair, orderly and peaceful conduct of the election on December 7, 2020”, she said.
Jean Mensa also dispelled the notion that she does not have respect for the house.
“It is important to emphasize that this is the first time I have been invited by the House in my capacity as the EC Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, I have on no occasion turned down an invitation from the Parliament of Ghana”, she said.
The EC boss disclosed that the total cost of the materials for the election was GHS 8,373,545 which has promoted the efficiency of staff as well as the swift movement of goods and materials from the stores to regions and districts and also helped to eliminate costs that were associated with the hiring and rental of vehicles.
“As we speak, the distribution of these items to our regions and districts is well underway. I can confirm that as a result of the thorough planning and distribution mechanisms employed, we are about 95% done with the distribution of election materials to our various locations across the country. What is left to be delivered are the Ballots and Registers. Procurement of Vehicles to facilitate the movement of our staff and promote the delivery of their mandate at the grass-root level, the Commission procured a number of vehicles. In total 147 vehicles made up of 15 motorbikes, 30 four-wheel drives, 107 pickups, eight haulage trucks and two Coaster Buses”, she said.
Madam Mensa further insisted that the ongoing processes at the Assembly press for the printing of ballots for the 2020 polls have been transparent.
According to her, the printing of excess ballot papers at the assembly press is not an attempt to create the opportunity for rigging.
She added that the Commission does not hold the view that a former parliamentary aspirant of the NPP supervising the process of printing will have any bearing on the integrity of the process.
“We do not know the Managing Director [of the Assembly Press]. We know the systems that we have deployed. We are confident in the transparent systems that have been deployed. You may be aware that the party agents are aggrieved about the printing houses.”
