BY: Akpabli Daniel Yao I Voltaonlinegh.com |
The media covering the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary election in the Akatsi South Municipality is greeted with dissatisfaction with the attitudes of some presiding officers officiating the exercise.
While some Presiding officers are good toward the media, some in the polling stations are tight-lipped on information available to be given to the accredited media house to help inform the public on proceedings stating that, they have orders from above not to disclose any information.
In the Akatsi Court Hall A, the presiding officer who only gave her name as Saraphine, kept frustration the Finder’s Newspaper Reporter with the excuse of she being busy till the reporter decided to leave the polling station.
At Torve 2B, the presiding officer, Mr. Godwin Setsoafia said, he is not to give any information to the Reporter while the Presiding officer in Torve 2A said anything regarding the exercise under his supervision should be directed to the Returning officer in the Municipality.
At the PTC Tobaco block 1, 4 out of the 5 Presiding Officers have declined to speak to the media in exception of Mr. Emmanuel Ahiaba who granted the media an interview.
The four said, they were ask not to speak to any media organizations but were not able to disclose where the order came from.
Mr. Awitsi Jerry Kwame, Presiding officer at CHPS compound Gadzekpo, told the media, it was part of their electoral rules not to talk to the media but directed them to get information from the Party Polling Agents at the station instead. He also added that, it is an order from above not to speak to the media regarding proceeding during the entire exercise.
The situation is described by many accredited media house as challenging as it is affecting their smooth coverage of the process.
Speaking to the Returning Officer of the Municipality concerning the development, Madam Akorfa Buabasa Asamoah, expressed dissatisfaction regarding the conduct of her officers toward the media describing their attitude as worrying
She noted that, the work of the media in this exercise cannot be downplayed adding that, how to relate with the media formed part of their training prior to the election exercise.
She said the media should be treated with some sort of care for they are the mouth piece of the commission in the process.
She further assured the media not to be much worried for her outfit will bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, checks conducted in some polling station later in the day in the Akatsi South Constituency pointed out that, the situation remained the same.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com