The Legal Resources Centre has trained politicians in the Northern Region on how to apply laws covering electoral disputes.
Regional executives of various political parties attended the capacity building workshop organized by the Legal Resources Centre under the auspices of multi donor fund managers, STAR-Ghana.
“Consolidating the Electoral Justice System in Ghana,” was the workshop’s theme.
The participants were enlightened on electoral disputes adjudication processes ahead of the December 7 polls.
The lead resource person, Northern Regional Coordinator of the Legal Aid Scheme, Lawyer Awudu Issah Mahmud encouraged politicians particularly Parliamentary candidates to attach importance to the legal framework covering electoral disputes.
This, he explained could prepare them to use the appropriate channels in their quest to seek legal redress on the outcome of the December 7 elections.
He recommended the High Court as the starting point for seeking legal redress on electoral disputes.
“Any dispute arising from Parliamentary elections in the upcoming December elections must be sent to the High Court and when one party is dissatisfied with the outcome, she/he may seek an appeal at the Appeals Court where any decision taken thereof is considered final.”
He cautioned politicians against tagging state institutions especially the security agencies as political appendages.
“When you are in government you work with every institution but you accuse every institution of state as soon as you go into opposition. That is not right and politicians must cease from such acts.”
An official of the Legal Resources Centre, Enoch Jengre gave the assurance that all judicial disputes aftermath the December 7 polls will be fast tracked.
Enoch Jengre urged the participants to take advantage of the electoral dispute adjudication mechanisms to settle their scores.
He described the Legal Resources Centre as a non-governmental organization committed to the advancement of human rights.
“At the Legal Resources Centre, we seek to ensure human rights for all. We work towards the promotion and protection of the rights to Health, Education, Housing, Work, Participatory Democracy, Personal Liberty and Criminal/Civil justice”, Mr. Jengre explained.
He mentioned the LADA Institute, the office of the Chief Justice, the Judicial Training Institute and the Judicial Service as the Legal Resources Centre collaborators.
The participants pledged their commitment to seek refuge in the law courts on electoral disputes after the December polls.
They recommended that the designated courts expected to handle electoral disputes should avoid undue delays.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana