The Electoral Commission (EC) has agreed to brief Parliament on its preparation and plans for this year’s general election in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said on Friday.
He said the session was expected to come off on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, just after the return of the officials from assignment from the districts across the country.
Responding to questions on the Business Statement for the fourth week ending June 12, 2020, the Majority Leader told Parliament the Commissioners of the EC had indicated to him that they would have to fan out to various places in the districts to pursue a course and would be coming back to Accra on Sunday leading to the 16th day of June.
The leadership of the Parliament’s Special Budget Committee extended an invitation to the EC sequenced to a request made by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
On April, 30, 2020, the opposition National Democracy Congress (NDC) MP for Tamale South impressed upon the House for officials of the EC to be summoned to Parliament to brief the MPs on its preparedness and readiness for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
According to him, it is important for the country to know the roadmap for the December 7 elections in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, pointing out that the 1992 Constitution requires that the presidential and parliamentary elections be held this year.
Last Friday, he again asked the Majority Leader to tell the House the status of the invitation since he was unable to believe the EC officials would come and apprise the House.
In a response, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said, “Mr. Speaker, I keep updating him (Haruna). Even indeed yesterday (Thursday), he raised this matter at the Business Committee meeting and I told him where we are, and said to him that the EC had assured it would be here on 16 of June. I have been trying to pull them here on the 9th of this month which should be Tuesday.”
“Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker as I told him yesterday they had indicated to me that they have to fan out to various places in the districts to pursue a course, and that they would be coming back on Sunday leading to the 16th of June and that is why they gave us 16.
In the intervening period, there have been some developments, including the directive by the Supreme Court for the EC to avail themselves on Monday, June 8. In this instance, I want to follow up with them if they could avail themselves to us before they go out there to do their fan out.”
Mr. Speaker, I have given him (Haruna) this information at the Business Committee meeting. Sometime I find it rather unfortunate that when we discuss issues he imports those matters to the Floor of the House,” the Majority Leader said.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House
