General News of Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Source: topfmonline.com

Debate on new EC logo an exercise in futility - Asiedu Nketia

NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia

General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has said the debate and tension surrounding the newly created logo by the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana is useless and a complete waste of time.

He says whether new or old, a logo cannot determine the outcome of an election and so the energy, time and resources being used in this futile debate must rather be channeled into other profitable venture.

The EC has created a new logo but the creation has met opposition from a section of the Ghananain public and some political parties who think it was a misplaced priority.

But just as President Mahama said the debate around the logo is needless, Asiedu Nketia also said it is useless and time wasting engaging in such debate.

Speaking in an interview with Ekourba Gyasi, host of TOP FM’s morning show on Tuesday, Asiedu Nketia wondered how a logo can determine the pattern of election results which should end in the kind of tension in the country at the moment.

According to him, it cannot in any way affect the election results and so he finds the hullaballoo as needless and futile.

“This is an exercise in futility “he told host Ekourba Gyasi.

Meanwhile, Martin Agyei Mensah-Korsah, Director of Elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) told Ekourba Gyasi that it is the decision that went into the creation of the new logo that worries him and several other Ghanaians.

He said at this time in an election year, it is not a logo that the EC must focus on, but rather activities that will ensure confidence in the electoral system.

He revealed that the EC Boss, Charlotte Osei, has said she has not started using it but checks show that the logo is being used by EC officials in some parts of the country.

"It is worrying that the logo that the EC chair told us at the IPAC meeting that is yet to be outdoored is being used by EC officials in some parts of the country," he told Ekourba.