Jean Mensa – EC Chairperson
The Electoral Commission (EC) has scheduled the by-election in Ejisu for April 30, 2024, following the death of Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, the area’s Member of Parliament (MP).
Mr. Kumah, the Deputy Minister of Finance, died on March 7, 2024, following a short illness. He left behind a wife and six children.
According to the Commission, voters in the Ejisu Constituency will vote on April 30 to replace Dr. Kumah in accordance with the 1992 Republican Constitution.
Article 112 (5) says, “Whenever a vacancy occurs in Parliament, the Clerk to Parliament shall notify the Electoral Commission in writing within seven days after the vacancy occurred, and a by-election shall be held within thirty (30) days after the vacancy occurred.”
NPP Primary
Meanwhile, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued protocols for the Ejisu parliamentary primary by-election, which is set to take place on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
“These protocols have been formulated to ensure the integrity and fairness of the electoral process. There will be one voting centre, which is Ejisuman Senior High School at Ejisu,” the party said in a statement.
The statement, signed by its General Secretary, Justine Kodua Frimpong, indicated that the EC shall supervise the conduct of the election and shall have the full responsibility of ensuring a transparent, free, and fair election.
“Security activities rest exclusively with the Ghana Police Service, and access beyond security perimeters is restricted to delegates, persons appointed by the National Secretariat and Region as election supervisors, contestants, and their accredited agents,” the statement noted.
According to the NPP, the by-election committee shall supervise the election, adding that, “There will be no congregation on the day of voting.”
“Therefore, there shall be no provision to address delegates or the public by any national party executive, any government official, a regional party executive, constituency executives, contestants, or their representatives on the day of the voting,” he said.
It pointed out that voters are expected to “walk in” freely by themselves, and added, “No delegate shall be escorted to the voting screen except those with mobility issues and with Electoral Commission consent.”
“A voter must wait to be cleared before entering the perimeter of queue control. There shall be no camping of delegates,” the party said.
It warned that no voter shall wear the colour or effigy of a contestant at the voting centre (i.e., T-shirts, caps, or posters of contestants).
“Delegates shall not be allowed to enter the voting screen or booth in groups or in pairs. Voting shall not take place indoors but in an open place in the full glare of the public,” it said.
The statement indicated that it is an offence for non-accredited persons to enter the voting perimeter.
“A delegate who has already cast his or her vote shall not be re-admitted into the voting perimeter. Any person found directing a delegate on which contestant to vote commits an offence and shall be removed by the police,” the statement warned.
According to the NPP, the EC and the police shall enforce and adhere to restricting delegates from taking their “phones and other photographic gadgets to the voting screen.”
“Any vote that has been shown to the public shall be nullified. The Electoral Commission and the Police shall deny influencers, ‘Machomen,’ and undesignated persons’ access to the voting centres.
“All such persons shall be arrested. The electoral voting shall be by walk-in standard practice; the individual shall approach the polling area and vote secretly,” the statement stressed.
“Presiding officers shall not call out the names of delegates in the queue to vote. Individuals will walk to the officials, and they will be assisted to vote accordingly. 20 Presiding officers shall issue ballots to one delegate at a time,” the statement intimated.
The NPP emphasised that presiding officers shall not issue ballots to people in pairs or groups of persons.
It added that ballot papers should not be torn from any booklet in advance, and that both valid and rejected ballots will be securely placed inside the designated ballot boxes and subsequently sealed with the seals of the contestants.
According to the statement, delegates are to carry their identification cards (Voter I.D., Party Card, Passport, and Ghana Card) to verify their names.
“Delegates are advised to conform to all electoral laws, regulations, and rules on the day of voting. It is against the law to publicly display cast ballots, capture images of cast ballots, and make gestures to show whom one voted for,” the statement pointed out.
It warned that anyone who violates this provision will have his or her vote declared spoiled or rejected.
“The time for voting shall be 7:00am to 2:00 pm. There will be no proxy voting. No individual shall have the right to either remove names or insert names to replace deceased persons.
“We trust that these protocols will contribute to a transparent, free, and fair electoral process. We acknowledge with sincere gratitude the unwavering cooperation from all stakeholders as we pursue an equitable, impartial, and transparent process to elect a parliamentary candidate for the 2024 General Elections,” the statement concluded.
NEC Resolutions On Outstanding Constituency Primaries
In a statement signed on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong said the party at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting passed resolutions in respect of five outstanding constituencies in accordance with article 12 of the party’s constitution.
For La Dadekotopon, the party agreed to open nominations for the conduct of parliamentary primary on account of the resignation of Dr. Gerald Tetteh Nyanyofio as parliamentary candidate.
In the Akan Constituency, the party also agreed to open for the conduct of parliamentary primary on the account of the passing of the late parliamentary candidate Rashid Bawa, while Joseph Afankwah will be reinstated as an aspiring parliamentary candidate for the Agona West Constituency.
The NEC, at its meeting, also adopted the report of the Ejisu parliamentary vetting committee to clear all nine aspirants who have duly filed nominations to contest in the primary, while Farouk Mahama was confirmed as the party’s parliamentary candidate for the Yendi Constituency.
By Ernest Kofi Adu