Former deputy Electoral Commissioner (EC) of the University of Ghana Student Representative Council SRC (UGSRC) Bright Siaw has opined that the SRC President’s condemnation of the action of the Electoral Commissioner signifies a constructive step towards initiating change.
This follows the disruptive altercation that happened on the 22nd Of October 2023, at the Mensah Sarbah Hall during the UG SRC General Assembly chairmanship elections, which resulted in the suspension of the election.
The University of Ghana’s SRC President, in view of the turn of events has issued a statement to denounce the actions of the EC alleging assault of the stakeholders.
In an exclusive interview on Campus Exclusive, Bright Siaw stated that, the altercation during the election is an indication of lack of professionalism.
“If the alleged assault is true, then the President or anybody at all can condemn such an act, if indeed the commissioner assaulted someone then the professionalism is not there, and the SRC president coming out to condemn his action is a step in the right direction, because it is unprofessional.”
Bright Siaw, further stated that, the occurrences in the general assembly were unwarranted and require immediate solution.
“What happened there is unacceptable, to a point where a whole general assembly was cancelled, as a commission, be transparent, all the backlash is not necessary.”
On the same panel, former General Assembly Representative for the Law school Kabu Nartey drew emphasis on the role of the SRC executives in the conduction of the election.
According to him, conduction of elections is solely the EC’s responsibility and hence there is no need of interference from the Executuve body of the council.
“There is nowhere in the constitution that gives the [general] secretary the authority to play an active role in the affairs of the general assembly. The Constitution says that the Electoral Commission is responsible for the conduction of elections.”
Concurrently, the Dean of Students Affairs had released a notice suspending the elections indefinitely. The elections would remain on hold until the Dean sees it fit to conduct.
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Story by: Mabel Antwi | univers.ug.edu.gh
