EC,EU sing MoU for Election '08

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday October 30, 2008
THE Electoral Commission (EC) and the European Union (EU) have signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure the conduct of a free, fair, transparent and credible election in December.

In the agreement the EU is expected to send an Electoral Observation Mission to monitor the forth coming election and also provide technical assistance to the EC and other domestic non-partisan observers to ensure a smooth conduct of the poll.

Signing the memorandum yesterday in Accra, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the E.C. in a brief remark underscored the need for election observers to complement the effort towards ensuring a transparent and credible electoral exercise.

He said “election observers give an objective assessment of every situation and we can rely on them to give that kind of judgement.”

He said the EU has a track record in election observation and hoped the observers coming would continue with their objectivity.

Mr Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi Head of the EU Delegation in Ghana who signed on behalf of the EU said about 60 observers will arrive in Ghana to monitor the situation.

“They will cover all the regions and I can assure you of their objectivity.”

He said the EU is following the situation in Ghana with keen interest adding “I know the EC has taken all the necessary steps to organise this election in a transparent manner.”

He said “we are confident that the measures taken by the EC are the right ones”.

Mr. Sebregondi called for political tolerance among the political parties and their supporters and urged the EC to always communicate its decisions to the parties to enhance the conduct of the election.

Mr Francis Hurtut, the French Ambassador who was present at the short ceremony said Ghana is a country that needs the support and encouragement from every other country especially the EU to succeed, saying “the election observation is to the honour of the country.”