We have deployed adequate forms — Party

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it has deployed adequate forms to facilitate a smooth rollout of its ongoing Polling Station election activities across the country.

The Party said it had also directed election management committees at the various polling stations to immediately notify the Party’s leadership in an event where they ran out of forms to avert chaos in the electoral process.

The exercise, which commenced with the sale of nomination forms on Saturday, February 19, 2022, has recorded pockets of disturbances in some constituencies over the sale of the forms.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Monday, February 21, 2022, Mr Evans Nimako, Director of Research and Elections, NPP, dismissed reports suggesting that there were shortages of nomination forms in some constituencies.

He said the challenges encountered in the sale of the forms were a result of the operational arrangements put in place by the election committees on the ground.

Mr Nimako said following reports of disturbances in some areas, including Kade, Manhyia North and Ningo Prampram constituencies, the Party deployed officers to restore calm and ensure a smooth electoral process.

“I don’t think we have a shortage of nomination forms because the mandate to the committee is such that where they have concerns, they must relay them to the leadership of the Party.

“We have heard of some issues with the sale of the forms. The operational arrangements which were put in place by the committee is what we are addressing. As much as possible, we have directed the committees not to deny any prospective aspirant from getting access to the nomination form,” he said.

Per the Party’s guidelines, the polling station elections would be held from February 19 to March 5, 2022, in more than 38,000 polling stations across the country.

The sale of forms, which was supposed to end on Monday, February 21, 2022, has been extended to Tuesday, February 22, 2022, the Party announced Monday evening.

The Party, at a press conference on Monday, February 21, 2022, said the move was to ensure that all aspirants who were unable to secure forms before the initial deadline had the opportunity to do so.

All aspirants are required to pick nomination forms at a fee of GH¢10 from the polling station election committee set up to supervise the elections.

Under the Party’s guidelines, no prospective aspirant shall be denied access to the purchase of the application forms and if denied he or she has the right to put in a petition.

According to the guidelines, which have been approved by the Party’s Council, an applicant must be a known or active member of the Party at the polling station he or she seeks to contest.

The election committee is also required to receive completed application forms from prospective aspirants with three passport size photographs not later than three days to the polling station elections.

Also, the name of an aspirant must be captured in an updated polling station register and must be a card bearing member who votes at the same polling he or she is contesting.