Unexpected rains cause of failure to announce election results within 24 hours – EC

The Electoral Commission has apologised for its inability to declare the results of the 2020 elections within the twenty-four-hour frame it promised.

Speaking at a press conference held on the wee hours of Wednesday, December 9, 2020, Jean Mensa, the chairperson of the commission attributed the failure to rainfall in certain parts of the country.

She explained that rainfall caused a delay in the casting of votes and collation.

She also mentioned misunderstandings in some constituencies such as the Techiman South as a contributing factor in the delay.

Jean Mensa also urged the Ghanaian public to remain calm and trust her outfit.

The Commission apologizes for its inability to declare the Presidential Results at 5:00pm as planned. We, however, wish to assure the public that the process of collating results has been transparent, fair and participatory. It has involved Political Party Agents at all levels: at the Polling Station. Constituency Collation Centre. Regional Collation Centre and the National Collation Centre.

Jean Mensa disclosed that the EC has received results from fourteen out of the sixteen regions. Out of the fourteen received, seven have been published.

“As we speak, the Commission has received 14 out of the 16 regional results. We have the national collation centre where we have had representatives of the various political parties since yesterday. As the results come in, the party representatives review them against what they themselves have received from the regions and once they are satisfied that the results that have come to us from the regions are a true reflection of what they have received, they then append their signatures to it before the results are brought to my attention. As returning officer of the 2020 presidential election I then certify these results. Out of the 14 results received, we have certified seven up to date”, she noted.