The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured all stakeholders in the upcoming Assin North Constituency by-election in the Central Region that the electoral management body is adequately prepared to conduct the poll as mandated.

The by-election is slated for Tuesday, June 27, 2023 and a total of 41,168 registered voters are expected to cast their votes in 99 polling stations across the Assin North Constituency on Election Day.

The Central Regional Director of the EC, Mrs Gladys Pinkrah, in an interview, said the EC regional directorate took delivery of the ballot papers, the Notice of Polls and the Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) yesterday (Wednesday, June 21).

“The Notice of Polls, which contained the pictures of the candidates and how they would appear on the ballot paper, will be posted today,” she stated. 

Training of trainees

Mrs Pinkrah said the commission would provide training for returning officers this week to prepare them ahead of the election

She added that the beneficiaries of the training programme would also train some key players including presiding officers, Name Reference List Officers and Ballot Issuers.

“We are well resourced and prepared for this election.

Everything is in order,” she gave the assurance, adding that the EC was poised to conduct a transparent, free and fair election.

Mrs Pinkrah said all that political parties and candidates needed to do was to ensure that their representatives at both the voting and the coalition centres were knowledgeable enough to appreciate proceedings and the outcome of the election.

“As for the police we are always in touch with them.

We have sent them the list of all 99 polling stations and their locations,” she added.

Meanwhile the Notice of Poll published by the EC ahead of the June 27 exercise indicated that there were three candidates who were contesting the by-election.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Charles Opoku, is number one on the ballot paper, with the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) candidate, Bernice Enyonam Sefenu, occupying the second position on the ballot and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, James Gyakye Quayson, is number three on the ballot paper.

Recall

The EC on May 31, 2023 announced Tuesday, June 27, 2023, as the date for the Assin North Constituency by-election in the Central Region after it was notified by Parliament that the seat was vacant following the Supreme Court’s ruling that declared the election of the former MP, James Gyakye Quayson, as unconstitutional.

The court held that his election was null and void because at the time he filed to contest, he owed allegiance to another country contrary to the laws of Ghana.  

SOURCE: GraphicOnline