The Electoral Commission has dismissed claims that journalists in the country will not take part in the special voting ahead of this year’s general elections.
According to the Commission, it included journalists as special voters in the draft instrument submitted to Parliament for consideration as part of the amendment of the Election Regulation (C.I.75).
Journalists covering the elections have always been part of the security and electoral officers who are given a special privilege to vote few days ahead of general elections.
However, journalists were denied that privilege in the last general elections in 2012; something that raised concerns in the media fraternity.
Reports emerged this week that journalists were once again not going to be allowed to take part in the special voting ahead of the 2016 elections but the Electoral Commission has come out to denied that
“…Journalists are included in special voting. It is part of the key reforms the Commission is implementing to make the 2016 elections our best ever,” it posted on its official Facebook account.
It said unless Parliament removes that operative clause in the amended C.I 75, “journalists who are accredited by the National Media Commission will take part in the early voting exercise in 2016.
Per the amended constitutional regulation which is currently before parliament for consideration and approval, a special voter has been defined as a person registered as a voter who is a security officer, an election officer or a media personnel accredited by the National Media Commission.
By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana
Twitter @steviekgh
