Ghana’s Electoral Commission has started using its new ‘controversial’ logo although the commission says it is yet to approve and launch it.
The EC’s new logo which has been severely criticised by the Ghanaian populace has already been printed on the commission’s new brochure which is intended to educate first time voters and the electorate on the ‘Revision of the New Voters Register.’
A Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Amadu Sulley told journalists at a training workshop that the new logo is yet to be approved and that it was just an expression of “intent.”
But the Deputy EC Boss in charge of Finance and Administration, Georgina Opoku Amankwaa, said the logo went through an approval process and would be unveiled very soon.
Reports reaching tv3network.com indicate that almost all official communications from the commission including banners and letter heads already have the new logo which indirectly means the commission has approved it.
It was first introduced to the public when the EC took some journalists through election reporting and the major pointers of the new Constitutional Instrument CI 91.
Why the new logo?
Questions have been raised with regard to why the EC would want to introduce a new logo in the lead up to a major election which comes off in November.
Some public commentators have defended the electoral commission indicating that they may just want to change the image of the commission by the introduction of a new logo.
The commission is yet to explain the rationale behind the new logo and also state why a new logo is being introduced at this time.
The current logo with the inscription Transparency, Fairness and Integrity comes two eagles, the black star and a ballot box and a hand voting.
The new logo on the other hand comes with blue-black background with eight abstract humans with their hands up. The heads of the eight people is in red, yellow, green and white.
Some critics of the new logo have described it a wheel of fortune and that the colours represent the various political parties but is that the case?
Was new EC logo plagiarised?
The EC’s logo looks very similar to that of a Turkish school which uses a similar logo. Sections of the public are demanding that the designer of the new logo to reveal whether or not the new logo was copied and modified or was an original idea from him.
By Martin Asiedu-Dartey|tv3network.com|Ghana
Twitter: @NewsyMartin