Election Is Brainwork, Don’t Recruit Nonentities As Polling Agents – Afari-Gyan To Political Parties | Politics

Former commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan has advised political parties to ensure the recruitment of people with knowledge of the electoral process as polling agents.

According to him, it is important for political parties to rely on competent people as polling agents rather than those who can cause violence.

“Fortunately, in some elections I see some big people who are agents. Don’t go and recruit nonentities to go and do work at the TPS, it’s brainwork,” Mr. Gyan was quoted in a report by Dailyguidenetwork.com.

The former EC leader who was speaking at a lecture organized by the Rotary Club of Accra West on Wednesday February 8, further enlightened the gathering on the importance of the pink sheet.

He noted that “refusal to sign the pink sheet, as it is called in Ghana, does not automatically invalidate the election results.”

“Some candidates believe that if an agent does not sign, it means that the result is invalid. Sometimes it is said that the candidates even say to the party ‘if I lose too much, don’t sign’, thinking that it will be invalidated. No, refusing to sign the pink sheet is not automatic annul the election results.

“What is the law? The law says that if you refuse to sign, you must give a reason in writing at the polling station, why you did not sign, and the election commission will later look into the reason you have given. If you haven’t written anything yet, don’t forget.

“So you have to remember that being an agent at the TPS is a brain, not a fight, it’s not a fight, you don’t want to fight at a TPS, it’s a brain, people need to know what’s going on so they can raise those things.

“I have said many times that given the importance of the pink sheets, I am not too big to serve the party or him as an agent on Election Day,” he added.

Dr. Afari-Gyan, until his retirement in 20015 oversaw all Ghanaian elections held under the 1992 Constitution and the dispensation of the Fourth Republic.