Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Amadu Sulley, has reiterated the commission’s call on media practitioners to desist from declaring election results but cover the election only as observers.
According to him, the media has the responsibility as an observing body to announce provisional results they pick up from polling stations but do not have the authority to declare results of elections.
He noted that over the years, some media personnel have always declared individual candidates as winners in various elections but mentioned that, it was bad practice, maintaining that the Electoral Commission was the only body responsible for election declaration.
Mr. Amadu Sulley was speaking at a workshop to train media practitioners in the Upper East region on Election Reportage.
Mr. Amadu indicated that with media personnel covering the elections only as observers, it is expected that they will be reporting on the elections in that regard and thus purely as observers and desist from playing the role of monitors.
He impressed on the media to be very circumspect with their reportage saying “as a media person, when you get to the centre, record what you are seeing as a media person, you record what you are observing.”
He cautioned media personnel to desist from interfering in the work of the electoral officials citing an example of a journalist he met in Brong Ahafo who he found partaking in the sorting of the ballot papers.
“Don’t go to the place and get inside the polling station and say no no Mr. Issuer the way you are issuing the ballot or validating the ballot is wrong. That one you are interfering in the process.”
Mr. Amadu was of the view that with the confidence people have in the media, it was imperative that practitioners try their utmost best to be neutral and professional with their reportage.
He called on media houses to furnish the commission with their personnel to cover the election in order for the commission to be able to provide accreditation on time.
By: Offei-Akoto Ayeh | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
