Inside December 11, 2020

spread_ DECEMBER 11, 2020.qxp_SHOWBIZ TEMP 12/10/20 7:37 PM Page 1
News
DAILY
EC revises disparities
in Presidential
election results
THE ELECTORAL Commission (EC) of
Ghana has explained some disparities in
the December 7 Presidential election
results which were declared by the
Chairperson of the Commission on
Wednesday, December 9, 2020.
The EC in a statement stated that, Jean
Mensa “inadvertently used 13,433,573 as
the total valid votes cast."
"The total valid votes cast is
13,119,460. This does not change the
percentages stated for each candidate and
the declaration made by the Chairperson,"
a statement from the EC issued Thursday
morning, December 10, 2020, said.
Jean Mensa on Wednesday, December
9, announced that, Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo polled 6,730,413,
representing 51.595% while John Mahama
garnered 6, 214, 889 representing
47.366% in the 8th election in the 4th
Republic that had a dozen candidates.
The result, the Cha irperson noted
“exclude that of the Techiman South
Constituency, with a voter population
of128,018. The said election results are
not ready because they are being
contested. As such, collation is not
complete. The difference between the
total number of votes between by the first
and second candidates is 515,524".
"As a result, even if we added the
128,018 to the results of the second
candidate, it would not change the
outcome of the Presidential Election.
Hence our declaration of the 2020 results
without that of Techiman South.”
"If we were to add the results from
Techiman South Constituency, Nana
•Jean Mensah, E.C. Boss
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would obtain
50.8% of the votes and John Dramani
Mahama, would obtain 47.873% of the
votes".
The EC has since provided a summary
of the 2020 Presidential election results
without the Techiman South
Constituency.
The result, the Cha
irperson noted
“exclude that of the
Techiman South
Constituency, with a
voter population
of128,018. The said
election results are not
ready because they
are being contested.
As such, collation is
not complete. The
difference between
the total number of
votes between by the
first and second
candidates is
515,524".
HERITAGE, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2020 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH
ECOWAS Mission urges
stakeholders to use legal
means to resolve grievances
THE ECONOMIC
Community of West
African States
(ECOWAS) Election
Observation Mission has
urged stakeholders to
resort only to legal means to seek
redress for any grievances emanating
from the electoral process.
In its preliminary findings, the
Mission led by former President of
Liberia, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,
said the preparation of the 2020
elections, the conduct of the
electioneering campaigns, as well as
the processes on Election Day, up
until the release of the results by the
responsible officials at the polling
stations, were relatively free, fair and
credible.
“ECOWAS wishes to congratulate
the peace-loving people of Ghana for
their exemplary comportment,
tenacity, determination, sense of
moderation and patriotism
demonstrated in their quest to deepen
Ghana’s enviable democratic
credentials,” it said.
The Mission also commended the
National Electoral Commission, the
security agencies and all stakeholders
for their invaluable contribution to the
success so far achieved, and urged
them to pursue the process to its
logical conclusion with the same
determination, zeal and commitment.
In pursuant to the provisions of
the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol
on Democracy and Good Governance
(2001), and within the framework of
the of support to Member States
organizing elections, the President of
the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS), Jean-
Claude Kassi Brou, deployed an
Election Observation Mission (EOM)
to observe the general elections in
Ghana.
The Mission, made up of a total
of 125 observers, comprised 12 Long
Term Observers (LTOs) and 113
Short term Observers (STOs),
including delegations drawn from the
West African Ambassadors accredited
to ECOWAS, the ECOWAS Court of
Justice and the ECOWAS Community
Parliament.
It also included experts drawn from
the relevant Ministries and Electoral
Management Bodies of Member
States, Civil Society Organizations,
experts trained by the Kofi Annan
•Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, former President of Liberia
International Peacekeeping Training
Centre (KAIPTC) and the Media.
The 125 members of the
ECOWAS Observers were grouped
into 48 teams and dispatched to the 16
regions, spreading across
Constituencies in Ghana.
While in the field, observers
maintained constant contact with the
Mission’s Situation Room based in
Accra and with other international and
local observer missions to collect and
consolidate information related to the
polls.
On Election Day, across the 85 per
cent observed polling stations, voters
turned up early and the voting started
at the official opening time of 7:00
am.
It said there was a high presence of
women and youth as voters and
polling/party agents and security
agents were present at 91 per cent of
the polling stations that the observers
visited.
“Our observers also noted that
whereas there was at least one static
security officer at most polling
stations, in other polling centres the
security officers were on mobile patrol
moving from one center to another,”
it said.
The Mission said overall, the
political parties and their followers
respected the prohibition of the
display of party colors and symbols in
and around polling stations on
Election Day.
The Covid-19 protocols, including
the availability of hand sanitizers,
social distancing and the wearing of
face masks were adhered to at the
polling centers and by the voters.
Party agents, particularly of the
NPP and NDC, were equally present
at most polling stations observed. In
addition, some party agents of other
political parties were present in some
of the polling stations, in particular
the Convention People’s Party (CPP)
The Mission also commended the National Electoral Commission,
the security agencies and all stakeholders for their invaluable
contribution to the success so far achieved, and urged them to
pursue the process to its logical conclusion with the same
determination, zeal and commitment.
and the People's National Convention
(PNC).
At the stations visited during the
opening of polls, Polling Officials
largely maintained order, particularly
with the support of the security on
duty.
Voters in queues comported
themselves and stayed calm until they
had their turns, except in a few places
that experienced initial chaos, but the
situation gradually stabilized with time.
Also, arrangements were made in
polling stations to facilitate and ease
the voting by vulnerable individuals
such as the physically challenged, the
aged, pregnant women and mothers
with infants and young children.
Despite the few challenges
observed, voters exhibited maximum
patience and perseverance in their
determination to exercise their civic
rights and responsibilities.
The polling officials demonstrated
adequate professionalism in carrying
out their duties and responsibilities
while party agents ably watched over
their party and candidates’ interests.
International and local observers
were present in most polling centers
visited. These included, besides
ECOWAS observers, African Union
(AU), the Commonwealth and the
European Union. There was an
effective presence of Local Observers,
particularly CODEO and WANEP.
In most polling stations observed,
the polls closed at the official time of
5:00 pm, because most voters had
finished casting their votes.
The sorting, counting, tallying, and
reconciliation of the ballots, as well as
the declaration and certification of
results at the polling stations, were
carried out in a professional,
transparent and credible manner, and
under the watchful eyes of party
agents and observers.
On challenges, the ECOWAS
Observation Mission said it noted few
isolated incidents that could have
marred the smooth and peaceful
conduct of the polls, including issues
around the strict respect for secrecy of
vote in a few polling stations visited;
double voting at Standards Education
Centre Polling Centre at Asylum
Down, Accra, arrest of two Electoral
Commission officers for tampering
with Presidential ballot at Awutu
Senya West and Bawku Central.
“On the whole, the voting process
took place in an orderly, transparent
and professional manner, and secrecy
of the ballot was generally observed.
It is the view of the ECOWAS
Observation Mission that the aforementioned
challenges observed did
not undermine the transparency,
fairness and the credibility of the
electoral process at this point in time,”
it said. GNA
Motorists violate
traffic rules amidst
jubilation in Tamale
SOME STREETS in Tamale
were filled to capacity as
supporters of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) clad in
party- branded shirts and
paraphernalia, jubilated and
danced to loud music.
Motorists were spotted
riding carelessly at crossroads
within Tamale Central,
excited over the party's
victory in the just-ended
Presidential elections, with
little care about their safety,
traffic rules and regulations.
Major streets in the
central business area were
blocked, causing night traffic,
while they engaged in
uncontrolled jubilation in the
absence of security
personnel.
Streets like Lamashegu,
Dungu and Fuoh were,
however, calm and almost
empty.
Supporters of other
parties, including some
National Democratic
Congress (NDC) members,
joined in the jubilation as a
mark of tolerance and
reconciliation.
Mr Alhassan Yakubu, an
NDC sympathizer who spoke
to the Ghana News Agency,
said though the NPP
Presidential candidate had
been declared the winner, his
party took consolation in
having the majority in
Parliament. GNA
Motorists were
spotted riding
carelessly at
crossroads within
Tamale Central,
excited over the
party's victory in
the just-ended
Presidential
elections, with
little care about
their safety, traffic
rules and
regulations.
•Some motorist in a jubilant mood