Charlotte Osei, EC Boss
The Electoral Commission (EC) has rescheduled the election of regional representatives to the Council of State from Thursday, February 9, to Thursday, February 16, 2017.
According to a statement from the EC, the additional week is to allow the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) “make the requisite arrangements for the constitution of the regional electoral colleges required for the election of the regional representatives to the Council of State.”
The commission also stated that other arrangements, including nominations to contest in the election, are still valid for the purpose of the poll.
The nationwide elections would be held at venues to be determined by the commission in the regional capitals.
The Council of State consists of one representative from each region of Ghana, elected in accordance with regulations made by the EC under Article 51 of Ghana’s Constitution. They are elected by an electoral college comprising two representatives from each of the districts, nominated by the district assemblies and eleven other members appointed by the president.
To be eligible for election to the Council of State, a prospective candidate must be a citizen of Ghana, be of sound mind, be a registered voter and a resident or hail from the region which he/she seeks to represent.
A person shall not be qualified to be elected as a regional representative to the Council if, among others, the person is adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt, convicted for high crime under the Constitution, or for an offence involving the security of the state, fraud, dishonesty, or moral turpitude; or for any other offence punishable by death or by a sentence of not less than ten years.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Kofordua