May 25, 2021
BY PROBLYN JOHN ALPHA
The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has burned obsolete electoral materials in Bo. The ceremony which took place at the Bo City airfield brought together stakeholders from different fields of life and Ministries, departments and agencies.
Addressing the audience, Commissioner Edward Sylvester Alpha – Southern Regional Commissioner (NEC) affirmed that the exercise is a normal routine that is been carried out across the country on the basis of regulations and not on local mandate. He said the unused electoral materials were burned to decongest space that was already cramped up in the warehouse.
Commissioner Edmond Sylvester Alpha further stated that ballot boxes that are also considered useful were not destroyed but kept for reuse, noting that the materials burned have nothing to do with court cases.
He disclosed that the commission has entered a new election cycle starting from 2020 to 2024.
With the spate of unhealthy signal of violence by youths, commissioner Edmond Sylvester Alpha entreated all that the commission will prevail on the public to have trust and confidence in the new leadership of the chief electoral commissioner and chairman Mohamed Kenewi Konneh for a peaceful and credible conduct of elections in Sierra Leone come 2023.
He said nine cases were petitioned in the Western Area – Urban and Pujehun which materials will not be destroyed. He said, some of the materials burned include; 2018 general elections materials, NCRA registration form, exhibition and voter education materials, presidential and parliamentary ballot papers amongst others.
At burning ceremony statements were delivered by representatives from the RSLAF, SLP, ONS, NEW, PPRC, FIRE FORCE and All Political Parties Association.