The Electoral Commission (EC) has made a significant change to its initial decision regarding media access to constituency and regional collation centres for the upcoming elections. Initially, the EC had planned to accredit only a limited number of media houses for access to these centres, sparking public outcry.
In response to the backlash, the EC engaged with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) to address the concerns. As a result of these discussions, the EC has expanded media accreditation to 4,500, allowing for a broader representation of media outlets at the collation centres.
However, in a new statement released on 2 December, the EC announced a complete reversal of its initial decision. The Director for Electoral Services, Benjamin Bano-Bioh, stated that unlimited media access will now be granted to collation centres. Media personnel with photo accreditation cards issued by the EC for polling stations will be able to use the same accreditation to cover constituency and regional collation centres.
This decision, according to the EC, aims to provide media personnel with greater flexibility and access to election centres, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The statement also mentioned that arrangements for media access to the National Collation Centre will be announced at a later date.
In other news, the EC successfully conducted the special voting exercise in 14 regions on 2 December 2024. The remaining regions, Eastern and Western, will hold their special voting exercise on Thursday, 5 December 2024. This exercise is crucial in ensuring that all eligible voters, including security personnel and electoral officials who will be on duty on election day, have the opportunity to cast their votes ahead of time.
The EC’s decision to allow unlimited media access to collation centres is a positive step towards ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process. By providing media personnel with greater access to these important locations, the EC is facilitating the dissemination of accurate and timely information to the public.
