Be patient with us: Electoral Commission (EC) to Ghanaians
The EC boss explained that results emanate from Pink Sheets at the Polling Stations, and the parties are satisfied with the elaborate process
The Electoral Commission (EC) has asked Ghanaians to exercise patience as it collates the final results of the 2024 Presidential Election. The call was made by the Commission’s chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensa, who addressed a major press conference together with her deputies and the rest of the seven-member Commission.
Addressing members of the media, agents of presidential candidates, local and international observers, members of the diplomatic corps, and directors and staff of the Commission, the Chairperson assured the Nation that the Commission has a robust mechanism in place to receive and declare results.
Assurance
She further assured the Nation that despite the convention of declaring results within 72 hours, it has only been 23 hours since polls closed on 7th December, even though the Commission in 2020 was able to do so in a record 48 hours.
The Commission reminded Citizens that since the beginning of the 2024 electoral process, it has walked “the walk of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.” She pointed out that the Election has been peaceful, transparent, and fair and has been widely accepted. She, therefore, assured Ghanaians that “it is the will of the people that will be announced as the winner.”
The Collation Process
The Chairperson explained to Ghanaians that our results emanate from Pink Sheets at the Polling Stations, and the parties are satisfied with the elaborate process.
The Chairperson further explained that the declaration of final results is hinged on processes enshrined in law, Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 127.
The process starts with the Polling Stations Pink Sheets, which are signed, copies given to agents of presidential candidates, and a copy posted at the Polling Station. The Pink Sheets are then sent to the Constituency Collation Centre and collated at that level.
The Constituency Results Summary Sheets are also signed by the Returning Officer and the Party Agents, who are given copies of this form. A copy is then posted at the Constituency Collation Centre. From there, the results are sent to the Regional Collation Centres and collated in the full view of the party agents, who then sign and receive copies.
A copy is also posted at the Regional Collation Centre. It is from there that the results are sent to the National Collation Centre via Fax. Once received, the results are also collated in the full view of the Party Agents, and a copy is given to each agent present.
The results from the National Collation Centre are also posted at the National Collation Centre. Once this is done, the Returning Officer for the Presidential Election, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, declares the winner of the Presidential Election.
Three regional results received
The Chairperson indicated during her press conference that results from the Ahafo Region had been received at the National Collation Centre. Soon after her address, results from Central, Western North, Oti, and Bono East Regions were also received.
She further assured the Nation that the EC has 72 hours to declare, and they hope to declare the Presidential Results within this time frame.
Delay in Results Collation
She stressed, however, that the delay in collation is due to some party supporters who besieged some Collation Centres, making it difficult for election officials to perform their duties.
She said the Commission has directly engaged the leadership of the Political Parties to ask their supporters to leave the Collation Centres to allow election officials to work.
The Chairperson finally asked the Citizens of Ghana to be patient as the Commission continues on the journey of transparency and inclusiveness to ensure that every vote cast and counted at the Polling Stations is collated.
Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra, Ghana
Asaase Broadcasting Company airs on Asaase 99.5 Accra, Asaase 98.5 Kumasi, Asaase 99.7Tamale, Asaase 100.3 Cape Coast, AsaasePa 107.3 (Accra).
Affiliates: Bawku FM 101.5, Bead FM 99.9 (Bimbilla), Mining City Radio 89.5 (Tarkwa), Nandom FM 101.9, Nyatefe Radio 94.5 (Dzodze), Sissala Radio 96.3 (Tumu), Somuaa FM 89.9 (Gushegu), Stone City 90.7 (Ho) and Wale FM 106.9 (Walewale).
Listen online: asaaseradio.com, Sound Garden and TuneIn.
Follow us:
X: @asaaseradio995, @Asaase985ksi, @Asaase997tamale, @asaase1003, asaasepa1073
Instagram: asaaseradio99.5, asaase985ksi, asaase100.3, asaase99.7tamale, asaasepa107.3
LinkedIn: company/asaaseradio995. TikTok: @asaaseradio99.5
Facebook: asaase99.5, asaase985ksi, Asaase100.3, asaase99.7, AsaasePa107.3.
YouTube: AsaaseRadioXtra.
Join the conversation. Accra: call 020 000 9951/054 888 8995, WhatsApp 020 000 0995. Kumasi: call 059 415 7985 or call/WhatsApp 020 631 5260. Tamale: call/WhatsApp/SMS 053 554 6468. Cape Coast: call/WhatsApp 059 388 2652.
#AsaaseRadio
#AsaasePa
#TheVoiceofOurLand
