As Ghana prepares to hold its post-bailout elections in December 2020, the government says it will provide the Electoral Commission with all the needed resources to conduct the polls.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta made this known while presenting the national budget for 2020 on Wednesday in Parliament.
“Mr. Speaker, 2020 is an election year. I will like to take this opportunity to inform this august house on behalf of the President that all the needed resources required shall be marshalled for the Electoral Commission to ensure that we have credible, free and fair elections. Ghana remains one of the most stable and peaceful countries in the world and we intend to maintain it,” he stressed.
Citing a number of plans to prevent wastage, Mr. Ofori-Attah noted that government will avoid excessive spending during election times adding that “such periods will not happen in 2020”.
“We shall work within the 2020 appropriated resource envelope and avert to the Fiscal Responsibility Act to maintain fiscal discipline. We would do so because the nation needs it,” he added.
The Finance Minister’s remarks reaffirm Ghana’s plans to internally resource the election management body as the country heads to the polls.
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press conference told reporters that this is in line with the government’s “Ghana Beyond Aid agenda” and will mean that the government will not be looking for support from donor partners to carry out its statutory obligations like the running of elections.
Source: J. Ofori, Daily Mail GH