NDC to protest use of lawyers, accountants for 2016 elections

Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Samuel Ofosu Ampofo says he will be taking the matter of the resort to the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG) for collation in the December 7 to the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) as his party disapproves of it.

According to him, there are more experienced electoral officers than these professionals, who may be risked in conducting such an exercise for the first time.

The Chair of the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC), Charlotte Osei, on Tuesday, August 23 told a gathering of news editors that the Commission will employ the services of members of GBA and ICAG at the Constituency Collation Centers in the December 7 elections. But speaking on TV3’s Eye on the Seat on Sunday, Mr Ampofo, who is also a Vice Chairman of the NDC, expressed disapproval of the move, saying the two bodies especially GBA are politicized.

“Election management is a different ball game altogether,” he stressed. “I am taking [the matter] up at IPAC,” Mr Ampofo added. “We believe that there are lawyers who are neutral and there are those who have identified themselves with political parties.”

He said the neglect of those who have helped the EC conduct successful elections since 1992 will see the obliteration of institutional memory.

“I know some returning officers who are more competent than district officers.”

Communications Director of the Commission Eric Kofi Dzakpasu, who was also on the show, said: “We are looking at other competences beyond academic qualification.”

He said teachers, for example, will continue to play an important role as they have done previously.

The use of lawyers and accountants will not be definite, he said, as the recruitment process will be open.