The Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, has expressed grave concern about the attempted arson at Techiman Municipal Electoral Office by unidentified persons.

He described the act as not only barbaric, but also criminal and urged the police to investigate the matter in order to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the crime to serve as a deterrent to other bad lots in the society.

In an interview in Sunyani on Tuesday, Dr Afari-Gyan, quoting a source from the Techiman Municipal Electoral Office, said on Tuesday night, the perpetrators of the crime scaled the fence at the back of the building on the blind side of the night watchman and entered the compound.

He said the criminals then poured petrol into one of the offices in which the ballot boxes of the controversial Techniman North Constituency election were kept and lit a match to burn the entire office with its contents.

He said the ballot boxes were not affected by the fire but part of the mosquito netting and some pieces of paper got burnt.

In another development, the NPP parliamentary candidate for the Techiman North Constituency in the recent general elections, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, has filed a writ at the Wenchi High Court challenging the result of the polls.

4. ?INCORPORATE FAMILY LIFE IN SCHOOL CURRICULA? ? PG. 20

President Kufuor has stressed the need to incorporate family life education in the school curricula and out-of-school youth programmes to effectively educate the youth on the dangers of HIV/AIDS.

The President made these remarks in an address read on his behalf by Mrs. Gladys Asmah, the Minister for Women and Children?s Affairs, at this year?s President?s party held for schoolchildren at the Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region on Monday.

The event, which was held on the theme, ?HIV/AIDS and Your Child,? was organised by the Ghana National Commission on Children.

The President, whose statement dwelt extensively on HIV/AIDS, said although the task of preventing and managing the pandemic was a difficult one, ?we can only face the challenges ahead of us by not resting on our oars but by taking steps which will overcome the challenge.

President Kufuor indicated that the Ministry of Women?s and Children?s Affairs had come out with a 10-year national development plan action for children and called on parents to use the Christmas festivities to address issue affecting children, particularly HIV/AIDS.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Gustav Narh Dometey, who also addressed the gathering on behalf of the Regional Minister, Dr. Francis Osafo-Mensah, asked school children to be disciplined and study hard.