The 2017 election for the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) scheduled for March 31 has been postponed over some unresolved disputes.
This was contained in a statement signed by the GJA Election Committee Chairman, Ben B. Assorow, Thursday.
The Committee said the decision was necessitated by the inability of the Association’s Elections Adjudication Committee (EDAC) to resolve a dispute before it in a timeous manner.
The EDAC is considering a petition from a Presidential candidate, Lloyd Evans who was disqualified for allegedly failing to meet a 90-day rule to pay his dues.
There is also a petition from some journalists who are challenging the authority of GJA led by current President Affail Monney to organise the election. They contend that Mr. Monney and his executives’ mandate expired as far back as March 2016.
Article 53 (iv) of the GJA constitution, confers on the EDAC the power to “consider the appeal and announce its decisions to the parties involved with a copy to the National Executive not more than four (4) working days after receiving the appeal.”
EDAC has been unable to live by the deadline stated in the Association’s constitution for resolving the dispute.
In the same Article section (v) directs the Election Committee on what to do in the event of a protracted dispute resolution.
“In any situation where strict adherence to the time for lodging an objection, or an appeal may cause manifest injustice, the Elections Committee may postpone the election until the dispute has been finally resolved.”
Mr Assorow said a new date for the election would be communicated as soon as EDAC concludes its work.