Nkawkaw, March 23, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) has released over 200 million cedis for payment of allowances for Returning Officers and other polling staff in three constituencies in the Kwahu area in the last December's general elections after the initial amount was reported stolen.

The incident had since deprived the polling staff in all the 294 polling centres in the Nkawkaw, Mpraeso and Abetifi constituencies of their due allowances for their services in the photo-taking and polling day.

According to the Eastern Regional Deputy Director of the EC, Mr Eric Mensah-Bonsu, who is supervising the payment of the allowances, the initial funds released to the Kwahu South District Electoral Officer, Mr Daniel Kankam for the payment of allowances in January, this year, were stolen from him on his way to Mpraeso.

He said Kankam and a driver of the Commission who were conveying the money to Mpraeso are now standing trial at a Koforidua High Court for causing the loss of the money.