A total of 1,720 candidates, comprising 1,658 males and 62 females, have filed their nominations to contest this year’s District Assembly Elections in 544 electoral areas in the Western Region.
Mr Stephen Opoku-Mensah, Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sekondi on Tuesday.
He said the calibre of candidates that had filed their nominations could not be compared with those that contested the last parliamentary elections in terms of resources and level of education which often affected the euphoria during the election.
He, therefore, entreated well-to-do Ghanaians to sacrifice their time and resources to contest district level elections to ensure that competent persons were elected to the assembly to champion the development needs of the people.
“We need to focus more attention on assembly elections because most of the development takes place at the grassroots level,” he said.
Mr Opoku-Mensah said the EC would mount campaign platforms on February 18 for all the candidates to inform the electorate about their programmes for their respective electoral areas.
The breakdown of the district nominations are; Jomoro 112, Ellembelle 131, Nzema East 83, Ahanta West 105, Takoradi Sub-Metro 49, Effia Sub-Metro 45, Sekondi Sub-Metro 31, and Essikado Sub-Metro 33.
The rest are Shama 47, Wassa East 58, Mpohor 41, Tarkwa-Nsuaem 86, Prestea Huni-Valley 109, Wassa Amenfi East 91, Wassa Amenfi West 65, Wassa Amenfi Central 66, Aown 82, Suaman 30, Bibiani-Anhwianso Bekwai 97, Sefwi-Wiawso 102, Sefwi-Ankontombra 61, Juaboso 44, Bodie 29, Bia West 88 and Bia East 35.
Mr Opoku-Mensah expressed disappointment with low female nomination and entreated them to muster courage to participate in the process since their views are very much needed in the governance of the nation.
He said the EC would also organise balloting for the candidates and publish notice of polls while capacity-building workshop would be organised to train officials that would manage the various polling stations.
He said the district level election is non-partisan and advised the nominees to refrain from any act that would contravene the law regulating the election.
Meanwhile, 3,994 candidates, comprising 3,687 males and 307 females have filed their nominations to contest the Unit Committee Elections in the region.
Act 473 that regulates district level elections allowed five candidates to be elected for each electoral area in the event when more than five candidates filed their nominations.
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(Nana Kwesi)