By:Isaac Amoah
The Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr. Osei Nsiah, has stated emphatically that the EC is arguably the most transparent institution in the country.
According to him, the EC is the only institution that involves stakeholders in all its activities or processes, adding that even before it makes final declaration of electoral results, the political parties are supposed to endorse it before it can go ahead to make the declaration.
Mr.Osei Nsiah, Ashanti Regional EC Director
The Ashanti EC boss argued that when you go to court, it is only the judge or judges who make the final determination of cases and when you go to hospital, it is only the doctor who prescribes drugs to patients. But in the case of the EC, stakeholders (political parties) must be involved in its decision-making process before it makes declaration.
Speaking at a day’s training workshop for journalists from the northern sector held on Tuesday, 25th November 2024, at Camp Martin Hotel, Fumesua, near Kumasi, he assured Ghanaians of credible elections.
The workshop was organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), with support from the EC. It was on the theme: “Credible Election Reporting 2024”, and it aims at targeting 80 journalists.
Forty (40) have been drawn from the northern sector; a workshop has been held for them in Kumasi on 25th November. Another workshop for 40 journalists from the southern zone will come off in Accra.
He emphasised that an election is a process and not an event and so far, the EC has gone successfully through all the stages or processes.
According to him, all measures have been put in place to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
He, therefore, called on the media to provide impartial reportage before, during and after the election. “I expect you (journalists) to be impartial in your reportage. Give us the facts and separate your opinion from the facts. We also expect you to be accurate in the things you report and don’t allow anything to influence your reportage,” he said.
“And please don’t declare the presidential winner for us but you can only announce the provisional figures or results,” he appealed.
The General Secretary of GJA, Mr. Kofi Yeboah, expressed the association’s gratitude to the EC for supporting the training workshop.
He used the opportunity to condemn the utterances of Oheneba Nana Asiedu, a presenter with Wontumi Radio/TV. He, however, expressed concerns about the criminalisation of free speech by the Ghana Police.
He cautioned journalists against misinformation and disinformation, especially in the run-up to the December 7 elections.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association, Mr. Kingsley E. Hope, in his welcome speech, advised the journalists not to allow themselves and their platforms to be used to foment tension or trouble.
“Let’s abide by the GJA code of ethics and remain professional in our reportage to maintain the respect of the society,” he pleaded.
