[ 2014-08-30 ]

IEA wants EC to publish election programmes, timelines ahead of 2016 election
The Institute of Economic Affairs, under its
Election Reform Project is calling on the
Electoral Commission to define and publish
specific electoral activities to be executed ahead
of the 2016 elections.

The proposal is part of electoral reforms
suggested at an IEA workshop with representatives
of the political parties and other stakeholders.

A report authored by Dr Ransford Gyampo a Senior
Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs which
captured the sentiments of participants at the
workshop, in part said, there is the need for the
EC to “publish well-defined programmes with
timelines to ensure certainty in the
implementation of its activities.”

Crucially, the report further admonished the EC
not to wait till the last hour before implementing
its activities in a rush.

Dr Gyampo cited some electoral activities
conducted by the EC ahead of the 2012 elections
but which appeared to have been conducted in
haste, thereby heightening political tension and
mistrust.

The electoral activities: “include Biometric
Voter Registration, Exhibition of Voters'
Register, Review and Creation of additional
forty-five constituencies and seats in Parliament,
etc etc. Needless to say, these activities
undoubtedly overstretched the capacity of the
Electoral Commission to successfully undertake and
accomplish all its pre-election programmes and
still organize the 2012 General Elections
successfully. But why should all these activities
be undertaken at the time when key actors in our
electoral process, particularly the Political
Parties were very busy touring all parts of the
country campaigning? Why should we sit down and
wait till the eleventh hour?” the report noted.

“Things done in a rush are susceptible to costly
mistakes. Indeed such crash activities are a
recipe for distrust, tension and the raising of
unnecessary alarms over issues that could ideally
pass without many qualms from the key
stakeholders,” the report indicated.

The IEA therefore reminded the EC, to as a matter
of urgency, publish with timelines its programmes
and execute it expeditiously without delay.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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