Electoral Commission Suspends Steering Committee in Ghana

The Electoral Commission has suspended the work of the controversial 18-member Steering Committee following stiff opposition by representatives of political parties.

This it said would enable the Commission to review concerns raised by the major opposition political parties.

The EC made this known at the just ended Inter-Party AdvisoryCommittee meeting to consider key issues for the 2016 general election.

Tension rises at IPAC meeting:

There was tension during the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission (EC) with key members of political parties in attendance.

In a charged atmosphere the opposition parties called for the annulment of the Steering Committee but the EC was adamant at the initial stages.

The formation of the Steering Committee for the 2016 general election by the Commission dominated public discussion  for some time now.

Opposition parties accused the EC of not being objective in its selection of some members of the Steering Committee after it was revealed that some key members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been added.

The meeting was to address three key issues:

1) preparation towards the 2016 general election highlighting the controversial 18-member Steering Committee constituted by the EC

2) to consider the audited account of the political parties,

3) and political party representation at IPAC meetings.

A member of the Steering Committee, Dr. Karl Mark Arhin is the former Director of International Affairs of the NDC.

He is currently the Deputy Executive Secretary of National Service Secretariat (NSS).

Arhin is reported to have resigned from the Committee, although Director of Public Affairs of the EC says the Commission has not recieved any communication to that effect.

Representation at today's IPAC meeting:

In attendance were General Secretary of the NDC, Mr. JohnsonKwadwo Asiedu Nketia popularly known as General Mosquito, the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) former chairman, Mr. Peter Mac Manu, Mr. Joe Osei-Owusu and Mr.O.B Amoah.

The National Chairman of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Mr.Bernard Mona and the General Secretary, Mr. Atik Mohammed were also in attendance.