The Electoral Commission (EC) has rescinded its decision to limit the number of accredited media houses to be given access to collation centres on December 7.
The suspension follows an extensive discussion with the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), who expressed disapproval over the restrictions.
Deputy Chairperson of the EC, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare, announced the suspension on Wednesday, November 27 at a programme held in Accra.
He further noted that engagement would take place to develop a new policy on media access to collation centres.
He clarified that the original directive was not to restrict media coverage but to manage the process effectively.
“The EC did that because we wanted to prevent chaos at the collation centres…We should not forget that you can be in a particular region and there will be about 400 media houses, and the collation centre may be smaller.
“So, if we want to give unimpeded access to all the media houses, we may end up having challenges…so we issued that statement just to ensure orderliness at the collation centres, and not to restrict the media from reporting on the elections,” he noted.
It will be recalled that the EC, in a memo dated November 25, 2024, indicated, among others, that only eight media organisations would be accredited to cover collation activities in the constituencies.
Dr. Asare emphasised that the EC would not undermine the role of media in ensuring free and fair elections.
He stated that the Electoral Commission (EC) aimed to improve or maintain the 79 per cent voter turnout recorded in the 2020 elections.
He assured that the EC was committed to ensuring a successful election, as it had done in previous years.
The Deputy Commissioner also highlighted the EC’s preparations for the upcoming election and encouraged voters to come out on Election Day to cast their ballots.
“For every registered voter, the Commission has printed a Presidential and Parliamentary ballot for you…so if it means you have to travel to Tamale or any part of the country to vote, please do it…and that will be your civic responsibility as a Ghanaian,” he said
He urged political parties and candidates to educate their agents on the electoral process to help prevent chaos at polling stations.
Dr Asare highlighted collaboration with security agencies to ensure sanity prevailed at the polls, adding that the 2024 elections would “reflect the will of the people” as it had “no interest” in the election.
The MFWA argued that the directive could undermine transparency and accountability in the electoral process, which relies heavily on the media’s oversight role.