Accra Dec. 1, GNA - The Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday urged workers to be vigilant during Election 2004 and to avoid provocative situations that could undermine the exercise. It urged registered voters to exercise their franchise with the belief that, "once we exercise our democratic rights and are vigilant on the conduct of the elections we can position ourselves to accept their outcome."

A statement signed by Mr Kwasi Adu-Amankah, Secretary General of TUC, in Accra also asked political parties to place Ghana first and ensure that their conduct contributed to free and fair elections.

"The Ghana TUC invites the political parties to place Ghana first and for all of them to ensure that their own vigilance will contribute to free, fair and peaceful elections, which will lead them to accept the outcome of the elections once they are declared by the Electoral Commission.

"We are hopeful that political parties, as main protagonists, have been able to iron out what they perceive to be principal difficulties that attend the conduct of the elections."

The statement noted: "The free and fair conduct of elections and their acceptable outcome are essential for popular confidence in the nation's fledging democracy."