General News of Monday, 1 June 2020
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2020-06-01Election 2020 must happen - Oppong Nkrumah
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, says it is clear to all Ghanaians that the December general elections must take place despite the existence of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
He said the only question that remains about the elections and the pandemic is what the electoral commission of Ghana and its related agencies are going to
Read full articledo to ensure the safety of the Ghanaian population against the virus before and during the elections.
"I think we are clear in our minds that this election 2020 must happen. Countries have had elections in the midst of this pandemic, the question is how do we prepare ourselves to have an election in the midst of this pandemic and in the manner that we can protect our population."
The minister who was speaking on JoyNews before the president's announcement of easing of restrictions said the decision by the government and the EC to ensure the elections are able to take place is not a political one as some may seem to suggest. He said the EC has the duty to ensure the conduct of the elections does not happen at the expense of Ghanaian lives since life remains paramount amongst all things.
President Akufo-Addo has announced the easing of some restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana starting from Friday, June 5, 2020.
President Akufo-Addo in his address to the nation on Sunday night while acknowledging that the Electoral Commission and the National Identification Authority forms part of statutory and constitutional bodies which were exempted from the restrictions, said they still need to conduct their activities in accordance with all the necessary safety protocols.
"Market places, workplaces, public transport, and constitutional and statutory bodies such as the Electoral Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education and the National Identification Authority, whose activities were exempted from the outset from these restrictions, must conduct their activities in accordance with social distancing and the necessary hygiene and safety protocols," he said.
