Mr Claude Maerten, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Ghana, has assured that the EU would always stand by Ghana in its development endeavour despite some economic challenges being experienced in Europe.

Ambassador Maerten, who was on a working visit to the Upper West Region, praised Ghana for its good democratic credentials, saying the country is recognised worldwide as the beacon of democracy in Africa.

He lauded Ghana’s fast growing economy and encouraged Ghanaians to use their votes in the December elections to express their goodwill and elect a president to show to the world that Ghana is, indeed, a champion in democracy in Africa.

The Ambassador, who was honoured at a durbar on the importance of the Biometric Voters Register to the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections at a forum on Tuesday, was accompanied by Mr. Judi Keal Regnaut, EU Political Affairs Officer and Mr. Francesco Torcoli, EU Programmes Officer.

The durbar was organised by the NCCE at Kpongu in the Wa Municipality.

Madam Augustina Akumanyi, Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education, asserted that the scanning machines that would be used to take finger prints and other particulars of voters during the biometric registration would not cause cancer or endanger the reproductive health of men.

She explained that it had come to the notice of the NCCE that some people were peddling falsehood in some rural communities about the machines causing cancer and affecting the manhood of men.

She appealed to Ghanaians to be vigilant and treat the rumours with contempt and turn out massively to register their names during the Biometric Voters Registration exercise that would take place in March this year.

The biometric scanners, she said, were similar to those used at international airports in the United States and Europe and by the National Identification Authority as well as the Passport Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She said the existing voter ID cards would be ruled invalid after the biometric registration.

Madam Akumanyi encouraged Ghanaians not to panic or entertain any fears about the elections but rather play their roles appropriately to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.

“All must stand up for Ghana,” she stressed. “Everybody must participate in the electioneering process. Ghana must win the elections and that will depend on how peaceful the elections are conducted.”

Naa Seidu Braimah Kube I, Chief of Kpongu in his welcoming address, appealed for the creation of two new polling stations in the community to avoid overcrowding during elections.

He expressed gratitude to the EU for providing a Community Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds and toilet facilities for the people.

Naa Kube, however, appealed to the EU to provide the community with a dam to encourage dry season farming and animal husbandry.