By Emmanuel Aiah Senessie, Freetown.
The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has ended a one day Strategic Planning Meeting with their members of staff and other stakeholders at their Tower Hill Office in order to review the November 2012 General elections so that it can make adequate preparations for 2017.
According to the Chairperson and Chief Electoral Commissioner of NEC,Madam Christiana Thorpe (photo) the meeting was called in order to “take a critical look at the 2012 elections, to make a review of what happened for lessons learnt: achievements to improve on and mistakes to avoid.”
She said they had listened to the views of all the stakeholders, including the ONS (Office of National Security, the media, election observers, both national and international, and the political parties that participated in the 2012 elections. These views would provide the raw material for their strategic planning for the 2017 elections.
According to the Final Report of the International Observers which has just been published and given prominence at the meeting, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) favoured the ruling All Peoples Congress Party in 2012 elections by devoting 44% of its air time to that Party, as compared to 17% for the Sierra Leone Peoples Party and (SLPP) and 7% to the United Democratic Party (UDP).
In the 60-page Report of the International Observers, several recommendations were made. One of these is that NEC should in future allow independent candidates to contest elections in every category. The Report also recommends that Government should give financial support to all political parties.
The Chairperson said they had decided to hold the Strategic Planning Meeting at their Tower Hill Office, and not outside, for lack of funds.
The meeting ended yesterday 21st February.
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