By
Anthony Apubeo, GNA
Bolgatanga, Dec 13,
GNA – Only Sixteen persons living with various forms of disabilities have filed
to contest in the December 17 District Level Elections (DLEs) in the Upper East
Region.
Nine other persons
with Disability have also filed to contest in the Unit Committee positions
across the region.
Mr William Obeng
Adarkwa, the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) disclosed this
to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Bolgatanga.
A total of 1074
candidates are contesting for the positions of Assembly members in all the 359
Electoral Areas across the 15 Municipal and Districts in the region, while
2,199 persons are vying for the Unit Committee positions.
The Regional
Director revealed that out of the above numbers, 28 and 145 women were
contesting for the District Level Elections and Unit Committee positions
respectively.
Mr William explained
that all was set for the elections to take place in all the over 1000 polling
stations across the region and the EC had already sent the necessary materials
for the elections to the various districts.
He said the election
officers were well trained to administer the process with utmost transparency
and diligence according to the rules and regulations of the electoral system of
the country.
The Regional
Director said the EC’s collaboration with security agencies were strong and
urged members of the public to have confidence in the EC to deliver credible
elections.
On Tuesday, December
17, 2019, Ghana would go to the polls to elect Assembly Members and Unit
Committee members who would represent the communities in the various electoral
areas, at the Assemblies, in the next four years.
The Regional
Director noted that on the Election Day, as part of fairness and to promote
inclusive participation, priority would be given to the vulnerable including
PWDs, pregnant women and the elderly persons to vote.
He stated that other
stakeholders including; election officials, security services, health persons
and media practitioners who may have urgent duties at their work places during
the election would be given the chance to vote as soon as the presiding
officers of the various polling stations were ready.
He disclosed that
the EC had already trained persons with visual impairment on how to use the
tarter jacket to vote and encouraged all persons to participate in the process
to choose competent leaders who would work to promote development at the
grassroots.
The Regional
Director advised members of the public to eschew violence to ensure the
continuity of the prevailing peace for accelerated and sustainable development.
He said the election
would start at 0700 hours and end at 1700 hours at all polling stations.
GNA
