Don’t accept food from politicians – EC to officials

The Electoral Commission (EC) has cautioned its field staff engaged in the electoral process to desist from accepting food and other items from politicians.

The EC has rolled out a strict code of conduct in a bid to ensure free, transparent and fair elections without controversy.

Ahead of the polls, the EC issued a memo signed by Deputy Chairperson, Dr Eric Bossman Asare, to district officers directing that all staff should abide by the rule.

“District officers are to inform all Election Officials that, on Elections Day, no official is to accept food, water or any other item in the form of a gift from the Representatives of the various political parties or the Candidates. Presiding Officers are to ensure this does not happen at their polling stations,” the memo said.

A follow-up message directed officials to make themselves available to receive a feeding fee made available by the Commission to each staff.

One of the electoral officers confirmed to theghanareport that he had received GHC30 as well as each member of his team.

Ghanaians are voting to elect a president and 275 parliamentarians for the next for years.

There are 12 presidential aspirants with more than 1000 parliamentary candidates.

The twelve include the flagbearer of the NPP – Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Presidential Candidate of the NDC – John Dramani Mahama, Brigitte Akosua Dzogbenuku – flagbearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party  (CPP), David Asibi Ayindenaba Apasera of the People’s National Convention (PNC), among others.

Five of the 17 nominees who submitted their nomination forms with the hope of contesting in the polls were disqualified by the EC.

The five included two independent presidential nominees – Kofi Koranteng and Marricke Kofi Gane, and three political party-sponsored nominees; Akwasi Addae Odike of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Kwasi Busumbru of the People’s Action Party (PAP), and Nana Agyenim Boateng of the United Front Party (UFP).

A total of 17,027,971 voters are expected to cast their ballot in 38,622 polling stations across the 16 regions of the country.