Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - Mr David Adeenze Kanga, Deputy Chairman of Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday said effective electoral administration was a means to preventing electoral related conflicts. "As a mandate Electoral Administrators owe it a duty to their country to strictly adhere to electoral laws; carry out functions in most transparent manner and hold regular consultations with all stakeholders, especially the political parties before, during and after elections to instil confidence in the democratic system," Mr Kanga stated.

Mr Kanga, who is in-charge of Finance and Administration, was speaking at the opening of a 12-day capacity trainer of facilitators workshop for electoral administrators in Anglophone West African countries in Accra.

The training, built around a 10-module programme aims at enhancing the capacity of the participants to ensure that elections are conducted in a fair, free, sustainable and most transparent manner. The EC Deputy Commissioner noted that the most fundamental question for every country to deal with hanged on leadership, which is democratically determined through the electoral process. It is important that those who carry out these activities of electoral administration are adequately equipped financially, logistically, technically and knowledgably to conduct duties independently in the most professional and confident way. Mr Kanga said the training would equip EC staffs with the ability to deliver during elections.

Professor Augustin Loada, Chief Felicitator of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), said the course sought to provide a forum and resources for developing expertise in electoral administration and to foster the sustainability of electoral processes by developing the capacity of the training corps of the profession.

The objective of the course is to accredit a high-quality group of facilitators under the "Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections," project to generate a pool of trainers capable of training others.

The participants include 12 from Ghana, four from Sierra Leone and two each from Liberia and Nigeria. There are observers from the Ghana Center for Democratic Development and the West African Network for Peace Building.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), IDEA and the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division (UNEAD) are the main organisers.