Parliament has approved 826.8 million Ghana cedis for the Electoral Commission for the conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
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Parliament approves 826 million for election 2016
The EC’s budget deficit has come about as a result of a Finance Ministry ceiling of 800 million Ghana cedis for next year's polls.
Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Charlotte Osei
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The Commission had budgeted 1.1 million cedis for the polls, while 100 million Ghana cedis would be used for other administrative expenses.
However, Parliament approved less than what the EC had planned for, leaving a funding gap of almost GHC400 million.
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According to report by Joy FM, the EC may come back to Parliament to push for the 400 million Ghana cedis funding gap.
“The Finance Minister has agreed with the Electoral Commission for the release of an amount of 826.8 million Ghana cedis for the services of the Electoral Commission. This amount is silent on whether or not the EC will open the voters’ register to register eligible voters for the 2016 elections,” Elton explains.
Meanwhile, the EC says it would wait for the outcome of a committee it set up to advise on whether or not to compile a new register.
When the committee presents its report this week, the EC will be in a better position to go back to government to either make a case for the release of additional funds or spell out measures it has taken to operate within the amount approved, Elton reported.
The EC Chair, Charlotte Osei said since the announcement of the Finance Ministry ceiling, she has been looking internally and discussing ways to bridge the deficit.
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The EC says it may have to reduce the number of polling stations by 1,000.
Prior the announcement of Finance Ministry ceiling, the EC had projected to conduct the general elections at 30,000 polling stations.
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