The December elections may prove to be one of the sternest tests faced by Ghana’s electoral commission. Ghana’s Electoral Commission has proven robust in trying circumstances in the past. But the coming elections this December may test its capabilities like never before. A re-drawing of constituency boundaries has provoked cries of foul play and, although lauded in the past for impartiality, the electoral commission faces difficult challenges.
The commission’s chairman, Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, has previously been widely praised for his integrity and steeliness. Indeed, he had planned to retire after the 2008 election but was persuaded to stay on. In the build up to polling day, one issue is dominating above all else – the electoral commission’s introduction of 45 new constituencies. In theory, the rationale behind this is simple. The commission has full constitutional authority to alter constituency boundaries after an appropriate review, and the new boundaries, while not perfect, aim to equalise the population size of different constituencies.
Full Article: allAfrica.com: Ghana: Electioneering, Ghana Style.