Jean Mensa narrates how NDC supporters beat EC staff and threatened them with death at collation centres
The Electoral Commission (EC) has told harrowing stories of how irate NDC supporters attacked the Commission’s officials at some collation centres.
Consequently, the Commission could not complete the collation in some centres.
At a news conference in Accra on Thursday, December 19, the Chairperson of the Commission, Jean Mensa, said collation of parliamentary results in nine constituencies is still outstanding, and called on President Akufo-Addo and President-elect John Mahama to intervene to ensure that the issues is addressed.
The constituencies are Ablekuma North, Okaikwei Central, Tema Central, Dome Kwabenya, Nsawam Adoagyiri, Techiman South, Obuasi East, Ahafo Ano North, and Ahafo Ano South West.
Attacks
Giving details of the attacks, Jean Mensa said the presence of hundreds of supporters who besieged the collation centres brought proceedings to a standstill. “These supporters destroyed Pink sheets required for the colation as well as results collation forms in some areas. In some instances, they vandalised and destroyed the desktop computers set up to collate the results electronically.
“Additionally and sadly, they beat up our staff and threatened them with death and ultimately brought proceedings at the constituency colation centres to a halt.
“Citizens of Ghana, this is the reason why the colation in some constituencies could not be completed prior to the declaration of the presidential results. “
Pink sheets protected
However, the EC chairperson indicated that, the party supporters could not fully achieve their wicked objectives. “Thankfully, perpetrators of this act did not fully succeed in their endeavours, in that a few of our staff were able to retain some of the Pink sheets and the results collation forms necessary for collation. Since then, as you all know, the commission has tried to complete the collation in some of these constituencies,” she stated.
Resistance
Giving further details, she said, “Our staff have been threatened and the established collation processes, as guided by law, have been disrupted and results have been declared without due processes governing collation being followed. In a number of instances, our staff have been threatened with death and forced to declare outcomes without adhering to the processes governing collation. It is instructive to note that the Electoral Commission has held discussions with the Ghana Police Service and has requested protection at all centres at which the collation was supposed to have continued.
“Unfortunately, as we have witnessed on TV, images have emerged showing our staff being threatened and made to declare results stemming from incomplete collation processes.
“Unfortunately, this has been in the presence of the police.“
