Candidates contesting this year's District Assembly Election slated for December 28, can now mount their own platform for campaigns, Mr. David Kanga, Deputy Chairman, finance and administration has said.
Hitherto the EC was the only body responsible for the mounting of platforms for potential assembly members.
Mr. Kanga who is a commissioner with oversight responsibility for Brong-Ahafo Region said this at the Regional Media Dialogue on the 2010 district assembly elections at Fiapre, near Sunyani.
It was on the theme "improving citizen participation in the 2010 district level elections through enhanced knowledge" and jointly organised by the EC, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the KAB Consult.
Mr. Kanga explained further that if any organisation was interested in mounting platforms for candidates, the organisation had to make available funds and resources to the EC to hold such platforms on their behalf.
"Platform mounting has now been liberalized", he stated, but added that "organisations are not allowed to mount platforms for candidates".
Mr. Kanga explained that the commission had undertaken a number of reforms in the electoral system which would be reflected before and during the District Level Elections.
He the EC had created new electoral areas to make the elections more manageable, efficient delivery especially in the areas of printing of ballot papers.
Mr. Kanga disclosed that the number electoral areas in the country had increased from 5,000 to 6,000 whilst unit committee had also reduced from 15,000 to 6,000.
Membership of the unit committee had drastically reduced from 225,000 to 30,000, Mr. Kanga added.
He explained that since 2000, the EC and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development hard worked hand in hand to bring such reforms adding that the delay in this year's district assembly elections was due to such changes.
Mr. Kanga appealed to the media to place emphasis on developmental rather than political issues.
Earlier in a welcoming address, Mr. George Gyabaah, Regional Director of the EC, said the district assembly concept was introduced to bring development to the door step of Ghanaians.
He entreated the media to get actively involved to make the impending elections successful.