Be Observers not Instructors - NCCE Advises Polling Agents
Audrey Micah, Ghanadot

Accra, Nov 28, Ghanadot - The Deputy Director of Public Affairs of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Mr. Frank Adoba has advised polling agents for the various political parties to be present at the voting centres on time and also to position themselves at places where they can completely monitor the electoral process so that the issue of rigging or suspicion of it will not occur.

He said it is imperative and highly essential for people to be educated on the issues of the electoral process even before the time, but this has not been achieved because the NCCE has not been given the necessary assistance for the sector to be able to work efficiently. To him, waiting till election year before educating the electorate is not the best of option.

"Time is needed to train our people and not two or three moths to elections before you educate them is the right way. Ghanaians are ready to participate in the electoral process and the staffs of NCCE are also ready to co-operate, but the problem is how to enhance them, how to gather the information to them".

According to him, the NCCE lack resources to propel them to teach Ghanaians not the just the electoral process, but other relevant issues of national concern. He called on the government and other agencies who can help to come on board to strengthen the NCCE since their long silences has given way to moral break down in the Ghanaian society.

Mr. Adoba reiterated that political parties should be able to feed and cater for their polling agents adequately to avoid any excuses from them during the process. He attributed of cheating during the elections to some polling agents who are not stable at post to ensure that the interest of the party who elected them is protected.

In terms of education, he advised that a polling agent should at least be able to read and write properly in figures and in words so that they can be able to document results without any problems.

"A polling agent must reach the centre before the start of the electoral process. If you reach there your duty is not become part of the polling officials, but to observe and identify people who are part of the electoral process, the voters and the EC officials who are conducting the elections. You must also observe the electoral environment".

He added that polling agents are there more particularly to represent the party who elected them thus it is their duty to make sure that they do what is expected of them so that there would be no harms.

The Deputy Director of Public Affairs urged polling agents to report any suspicion to the presiding official and not to challenge anyone during the electoral process.

"When you spot anyone who you think is a minor and therefore can not vote, do not challenge the person but lodge a complain with the presiding officer who will give you a form to fill and after the that the officer will invite the person and verify after which the agent will be called to also verify whether the confession of the person was true".

Mr. Adoba advised all polling agents to reach the centres on time and also know that they are there as observers and not instructors and "most of all must guard against any attempt of challenging the final authority come December so that we can have free, fair and transparent elections.

Ghanadot