The Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed its readiness to conduct the Council of State elections across the country today, Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
The election, which will see regional representatives elected to the Council of State, is set to take place in all 16 regional capitals from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the regional coordination councils.
Mr. Fred Tetteh, Deputy Director of Research at the EC, told the Ghana News Agency on Monday that all necessary election materials and logistics had been deployed to ensure a smooth process.
A total of 154 aspirants, including 144 males and only 10 females, will contest across the 16 regions. The winners will be declared at the respective voting centers at the close of polls.
522 Delegates to Cast Their Votes
According to Mr. Tetteh, 522 voters—comprising two representatives from each district nominated by the district assemblies—form the electoral college and are expected to participate in the elections nationwide.
He added that while voting is scheduled to end at 5:00 PM, an administrative directive has been issued, allowing regional officers to close the polls earlier if all registered voters have cast their ballots before the official closing time.
Low Female Representation in the Elections
Despite the significant number of candidates, female representation remains notably low. Of the 155 individuals who initially picked nomination forms, only 10 women made it to the final contest.
Data released by the EC indicates that no woman is contesting in the Greater Accra, Volta, Western North, Bono East, Oti, Upper West, Savannah, Northern, North East, and Upper East regions.
The Eastern Region has the highest female representation with three women, while the Western and Ashanti Regions have two female candidates each. The Central, Ahafo, and Bono Regions have just one female candidate each.
Role of the Council of State
The 30-member Council of State serves as an advisory body to the President, Ministers of State, Parliament, and other public agencies, ensuring governance that is both responsible and accountable.
With all logistics in place and the electoral process set to begin, stakeholders will be closely monitoring the elections to ensure transparency and fairness in selecting the regional representatives.
