A former Senior Communications Adviser and Head of Communications at the Presidency under the Mahama administration, Mr Ben Dotse Malor, has said the Electoral Commission (EC) cannot break for the Christmas festivities when there are serious unresolved issues pending from the December 7 elections.

The EC had earlier announced that all of its staff will go on holidays during the Christmas period.

But following the flak the Commission received from a section of the Ghanaian public and civil society groups after this directive the Commission modified the directive and stated that key staff will be working during the yule.

A statement issued by the elections management body on Wednesday December 23 said” The Senior leadership and some key operational staff of the commission will continue to work during the break”.
Expressing his feelings on this development, the former BBC presenter Mr Malor in a Facebook post asked “How does the EC go on holidays, with serious unresolved issues pending from the elections?”

A group Civil Society Organizations had earlier said “At an emergency meeting of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to assess the current post-election political impasse, we noted with concern, a circular signed by the Deputy Chair (Corporate Services) of the EC, Dr Bossman E. Asare, suggesting that the Electoral Commission (EC) may be going on recess from the 23rd December 2020 to 19th January 2021.

“Given the current post-election context and the matters arising, some of which might require their attention, we find it unacceptable that the EC should be shutting down at this critical moment at this critical moment, and without any clarification to the public of the alternative arrangements that have been put in place”.

The statement added: “We have also observed with concern that the minority party in Parliament was barred from submitting a petition to the Electoral Commission today by security personnel, thereby preventing them from making their presentation.

“In light of the EC’s response that it received the notice late, and that it holds the institution of Parliament in high regard, we kindly urge the Minority to re-submit their petition and the results it has, to the EC, as soon as possible, for prompt action.”