Fiapre (B/A), Nov. 1, GNA - Candidates contesting the District Assembly Election slated for December 28 can now mount their own campaign platform, Mr. David Kanga, the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), finance and administration, has said. Formerly the EC was the only body responsible for the mounting of platforms for potential assembly members.

Mr. Kanga, who has oversight responsibility for the Brong-Ahafo Region, said this at the regional media dialogue on the 2010 district assembly elections at Fiapre, near Sunyani. It was on the theme "improving citizen participation in the 2010 district level elections through enhanced knowledge" and organised by the EC, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the KAB Consult.

Mr Kanga said if any organisation was interested in mounting platforms for candidates, the organisation had to make available funds and resources to the EC to hold such platforms on their behalf. "Platform mounting has now been liberalized", he said but added that "organisations are not allowed to mount platforms for candidates".

Mr. Kanga said the EC had undertaken some reforms in the electoral system which would reflect before and during the District Level Elections. He the EC had created new, broken up large and merged some electoral areas to make the election more manageable, efficient delivery especially in the areas of printing of ballot papers. Mr. Kanga said the number electoral areas in the country had increased from 5,000 to 6,000 whilst unit committee had also reduced from 15,000 to 6,000.

Membership of the unit committee had been reduced from 225,000 to 30,000.

He said since 2000, the EC and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development hard worked hand in hand to bring such reforms adding that the delay in this year's district assembly elections was due to such changes.

Mr. Kanga appealed to the media to place emphasis on developmental rather than political issues.