Ghanaians are likely to start voting between 7am and 4pm – an hour shy of the previous 5pm closing period – the Electoral Commission of Ghana has hinted.
The Electoral Management Body chairperson, Jean Mensa, said the proposal is under consideration for the 2020 general elections.
Mrs. Mensah told the ECOWAS-UN workshop on litigation and mitigating electoral violence in the sub-region in Accra that the current time slot delays declaration of results and increase violence at the polling stations.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Election Observers (CODEO) has raised concerns over the proposal by the electoral commission to cut down voting hours.
REJECTION
“We have come to a point where we want to ensure results realized after elections are acceptable by all. If we change the closing time of elections from 5pm to 4pm, what happens to electoral areas that have challenges and start voting later than any other area because rivers must be crossed to those places and the like,” programs coordinator for CODEO Paul Abrampah told Accra-based Starr FM.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the commission Sylvia Annor said they will engage all stakeholders before a decision is taken on the matter.
“The voting period will be discussed with stakeholders. The late closure affects ultimately the voting results especially that of Presidential elections. The timing is at the preliminary stage of discussion. We are not there yet. On polling days, there are isolated cases of delays even in developed nations. We are working around the clock to make sure all anomalies are rectified,” she said.
Source: Daily Mail GH
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