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The National Elections Security Taskforce has come under fire from the Electoral Commission (EC) for not adequately protecting its employees when they collated and announced the parliamentary results for nine unresolved constituencies from the elections held on December 7.
Nsawam Adoagyiri, Ahafo Ano South West, Ahafo Ano North, Obuasi East, Okaikwei Central, Ablekuma North, Tema Central, Techiman South, and Dome Kwabenya are among the constituencies that are impacted.
According to the EC, a re-collation at the national level was required because the collation for certain of these constituencies was illegally carried out at the constituency level.
At Accra’s Tesano Police Training School, a memory exercise was started. However, because of what the EC claims are insufficient security measures, this procedure has been put on hold.
EC Chairperson Jean Mensa voiced concerns during a press conference about the absence of adequate security measures to safeguard EC employees.
“Unfortunately, as we have witnessed on TV, images have emerged showing our staff being threatened and made to declare results stemming from incomplete collation processes.
“Unfortunately, this has been in the presence of the police. Though the police have been present at all the collation centres, the supporters of political parties have managed to gain access to the collation centres and have disrupted the collation process,” she stated.
For the Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, and Ablekuma North constituencies, the Electoral Commission (EC) pointed to anomalies in the collation procedure, such as the omission of results from several polling places.
Therefore, citing procedural violations and threats to its employees throughout the collation process, the EC has declared the parliamentary results for Dome Kwabenya, Okaikwei Central, and Ablekuma North null and void.
She disclosed that the results for Ablekuma North and Okaikwei Central were announced without adequate collation and with a large number of polling station data missing.
“In the case of Okaikwei Central, the winner was declared without collating results from 31 polling stations. In the case of Ablekuma North, a winner was declared without collating results from 62 polling stations,” Mensa explained.
“This is unacceptable; the declarations were made under threats, and the Commission considers these as illegal. Those declarations, similar in other constituencies, will not be upheld,” She went on to emphasize how crucial it is to keep the process transparent and fair.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
