Sierra Leone Telegraph: 19 December 2017
Sierra Leone’s opposition national Grand Coalition Party (NGC) has announced new guidelines for those aspiring to contest the forthcoming general, local and mayoral elections under the aegis and banner of the party.
This announcement comes, as the party decided yesterday to waive all fees pertaining to those elections for its youth and female aspirants, which has been welcomed by Women’s groups in the country and described as progressive.
Legal and political criteria for electing/selecting councillors, mayors and chairmen:
Legal Qualification – A person qualifies to be elected into a Local Council if the person:
- Is a Citizen of not less than 21 years of age;
- Is in the register of electors and is ordinarily resident in the ward in which he seeks election and;
- Has paid all taxes and rates in that locality as required by law.
Legal Disqualification
A person shall be disqualified for election to a Local Council if the person is a) employed by the Local Council; b) will be unable to perform the functions of his office by reason of an infirmity of mind or body; c) has been sentenced to death or imprisonment for an offence involving fraud, dishonesty or violence or has been convicted of an offence relating to or connected with elections under any enactment and has not received a free pardon; d) being a practicing professional is disqualified (otherwise than at his own request) from practicing his profession by order of a competent authority; e) is a member of : i) Parliament. ii) The Armed Forces. iii) The Sierra Leone Police. iv) The Judiciary. v) The National Electoral Commission. vi) The Civil Service or
f) Is a: i) Paramount Chief or ii) A Chiefdom Speaker. iii) Minister.
(Sections 6 (1) and 6 (2) of the Local Government Act 2004) – Political Criteria: A person qualifies to be nominated for the position of Councillor under the NGC if the person is:
i) A fully paid up member of the National Grand Coalition
ii) Well known in his community and has contributed to building that community
iii) Has working knowledge of the language most commonly spoken in that
community
iv) Approved by the Ward and Constituency Executive covering the ward he/she is
contesting either by way of consensus building or elections
v) Approved by the NGC Party Candidacy Committee.
The time table for the electing / selecting of NGC candidates for councillor, chairmen and mayors is as follows:
17th to 20th December 2017 – Submission of Applications of aspirants for Local Councillor, Chairmen and Mayors to the National Secretariat through the district and regional executives.
21st December 2017 – Screening of Applicants by the Party Candidacy Committee and shortlisting of Candidates.
22nd to 23rd December 2017 – Election/Selection of Candidates for Councillor, Chairmen and Mayors.
24th December 2017 – Submission of final list of Candidates for Councillor, Chairmen and Mayors
26th to 28th December 2017 – Compilation and submission of Final List to the National Secretariat.
NGC Application Fees & NEC Nomination Fees for Councillors, Mayors or Chairmen and MP’s
Application Fees NEC Nomination FEES:
Councilors – Le100, 000 Le.500, 000
Mayors/Chairmen – Le250, 000 Le. 1,500,000
Members of Parliament – Le500,000 Le 3,000,000
NGC application fees and NEC Nomination Fees have been waived for aspiring female and youth (aged 18 to 35 Yrs) wishing to contest the elections in 2018.
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