The decision to accept 7th November of every four years as voting day in Ghana is currently before Cabinet, a Deputy Chairperson of Electoral Commission (EC), Georgina Amankwaa has told Onua 95.1 FM’s Yen Sempa.
The Deputy Chairperson said the proposed Bill will then leave the domain of Cabinet to the Council of State and then finally to Parliament for deliberation.
It is after Parliament has enacted the bill into law that the EC can conclude that the elections will be held on 7th November, she explained.
However, Madam Amankwaa, who is legal practitioner by profession and trade unionist, speaking to Kwame Karikari on Tuesday, explained that the EC is ready for the election in November 2016.
“Parliament has not approved of the 7th November but we are sure it will be approved at their next sitting,” she prayed.
All the six elections under Ghana’s Fourth Republic were held on December 7. Two of these elections – presidential – went for a runoff on December 28. Persons elected in both presidential and parliamentary polls are sworn in the following year on January 7.
However, many have raised concern about the time between when a president is elected, in the case of re-run, and when he takes office.
It usually becomes problematic in transitional situation so the need to move the date forward was mooted by stakeholders.
November 7 was proposed which is currently being considered at various stages.
Story by Kweku Antwi-Otoo/Onua FM/tv3network.com