Accra, Jan. 4, GNA - District and Unit Committee elections in four districts of the Greater Accra Region started at 0700 hours on Tuesday. The Districts are Dangme East with 42 electoral areas, Dangme West with 40 electoral areas, Ablekuma with 24 electoral areas and Ledzokuku-Krowor also with 24 electoral areas.

Mr Mohammed Addoquaye, Greater Accra Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that due to a Supreme Court decision, elections would not be held in four electoral areas in the Ledzokuku-Krowor and six electoral areas in the Dangme West districts. The Supreme Court on December 24 ruled that District and Unit Level elections should not be held in the Okpoi Gonno Industrial Area, Tebibiiano, Nii Ashitey Akomfra North and Martey Tsuru, all in the Ledzokuku Constituency.

District level elections in some electoral areas across the country were declared outstanding due to operational hiccups including delays in printing of ballot papers and late distribution of electoral materials.

Mr Addoquaye explained that the spreading of the elections between Tuesday, December 28, 2010 and Tuesday, January 4, 2011 was due to electoral operational hiccups. He repeated the Commission's apologies to the candidates, electorate and the general public for the operational challenges but assured the public that 93due to the character of the elections, which is electoral area based, holding them on different dates would not have any negative impact on the general outcome".

The EC last week fixed Tuesday, January 4, 2011 for the conduct of all outstanding District and Unit Committee elections throughout the country.

It directed all candidates and voters in the affected electoral areas and units to take note of the new date and prepare to participate accordingly.