The Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District office of the Electoral Commission (EC) in the Central Region, on Friday ended a weeklong training programme for 516 electoral workers engaged to supervise 110 polling stations in the impending district assembly and unit committee elections.

The EC has declared Tuesday, September 1, this year for the election.

The intensive training programme offered all persons directly involved in the conduct of the election, particularly the temporary election officials appointed by the EC, to better understand the procedures and their underlying objectives.

It also served as a “guide and reference” to them, before assuming their various responsibilities, “during and after the polls”.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) contacted Mr. Joseph Appiah Agyei, District Electoral Officer (DEO), he declined to comment on the training programme, saying, he had to seek permission from his regional office, but could not reach the office on phone.

However, the GNA was reliably informed by an “insider” on the statistics of the training programme.

The source said 89 candidates (four women and 85 men) are contesting for the assembly seats in the 32 electoral areas, whiles a total of 235 people (33 women and 202 men) are vying for the unit committee positions.

In all, 110 Presiding Officers, 110 Name Reference List Officers, 186 Ballot Issuers and 110 verification officers across the district received the training.

In a closing message to the participants, Mr. Amadu Sulley, Deputy Chairman (OPS) of the EC, was convinced that the training would broaden participants knowledge on the procedures and processes involved in an election.

The Deputy Chairman said, “It is the hope of the Commission that people will be elected to the district assemblies and unit committees on merit”, through the collective effort of election workers.

Mr. Amadu Sulley was emphatic that the election workers were entreated to discharge their duties diligently with honesty and dedication to maintain and uphold the integrity and good name of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

Meanwhile, the EC in the district has also mounted platforms at the various electoral areas to offer contestants the opportunity to present their manifestoes and messages to the electorate, who would intend ask key questions on their presentations.