Mr. Amadu Sulley, Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in-charge of Operations, says the Commission has not reached a conclusive decision on whether or not to change its logo.
He said what appeared in place of its original logo during the EC’s public engagements last week was an intention. He said the EC had not formally approved it to be used as its substantive logo.
Mr Sulley said this at a capacity building workshop for media practitioners on election reporting and highlights of Constitutional Instrument (C.I 91) in Tamale on Saturday.
The workshop was organised by the EC in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development to share information and deepen interaction between the Commission and media practitioners on the thematic areas to promote effective reportage on electoral matters.
Mr Sulley said the EC is monitoring the ensuing debate following the introduction of the new logo and would advise itself at the appropriate time.
A new logo, which appeared in place of EC’s original logo, had generated a lot of debate amongst the public with some suggesting that the Commission must not change the original one.
While others have criticized the logo as not been original, others say it is of poor quality and does not communicate the functions of the commission. Some critics have also said the timing of the new logo is improper. Despite the Deputy EC Chairman’s claims, Citi News’ Dong Ullo Sixtus reported early on, that the new logo is already being used by the commission.
He gave the assurance that the elections management body is well on course to organise successful polls on November 7. He therefore urged media practitioners to ensure that they send the right messages to the public regarding the elections. He advised the journalists to be conversant with the country’s electoral laws and the C.I. 91, which would govern the November polls to ensure accurate reportage on the elections.
Mr Sulley said the workshop’s participants should endeavour to use the right language in elections reportage so as not to confuse the public. They must also avoid sensations, which could create unnecessary tension. Mr Benjamin Nuno, Acting Director of the Information Technology Department of EC spoke about monitoring and observing elections and asked monitors and observers to be conversant with the laws and adhere to strict international principles to improve the electoral process.
Mr Caesar Abagali, Northern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists’ Association, urged media practitioners to remain impartial and ensure that the political parties get equal access to the media to propagate their ideas. Mr. Abagali appealed to EC to strengthen its Communications Department to promptly and adequately respond to issues concerning the elections. He also urged the EC to make use of social media platforms as one of the means of reaching out to the public.
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