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GHANA LEGION REGULATIONS, 1974 (LI 980).

IN exercise of the powers conferred on the Commissioner responsible for Defence by section 24 of the Ghana Legion Decree, 1974 (N.R.C.D. 285) these Regulations are made this 12th day of  September, 1974.

PART I—ELECTION OF REGIONAL AND DISTRICT OFFICERS

Regulation 1—General Qualifications for Regional and District Elections.

Every candidate for election to a Regional or District Council of the Legion shall—

(a) have served in the Ghana Armed Forces for not less than three years;

(b) be literate;

(c) possess a  military discharge book (Certificate of Service D.F.A. 4305) with at least very good conduct; and

(d) have registered with the Ghana Legion and have the Ghana Legion Identity Card and badge.

Regulation 2—Qualifications for Candidates for Regional Elections.

In addition to the requirements in regulation 1 of these Regulations, a candidate for Regional Elections to the Legion shall—

(a) be a responsible person or a person holding a responsible office;

(b) have movable or immovable property the value of which shall not be less than ¢500.00; and

(c) have a qualification not lower than the Middle School Leaving Certificate.

Regulation 3—Disqualification of Candidates.

No person shall be qualified as candidate for election to a Regional Council if he has been convicted of a criminal offence whether in Ghana or outside Ghana involving fraud or dishonesty and if—

(a) he has not been granted a free pardon in respect of any such offence; or

(b) a period of five years has not elapsed since his conviction and fine or the expiration of a term of imprisonment for  any of the offences referred to in this regulation.

Regulation 4—Qualifications for Voters.

Every ex-serviceman may register as a voter and vote at an election of officers to a Regional or District Council of the Legion if he is—

(a) in possession of the Ghana Legion Identity Card and a Discharge Certificate Book  (Certificate of Service D.F.A. 4305);

(b) registered with Ghana Legion; and

(c) in possession of the Ghana Legion Identity Card and badge.

(2) Any ex-serviceman wishing to be a voter at the elections shall upon producing his identity card, register with his Regional or District Council at least four weeks before the date fixed for voting, and there shall be maintained for this purpose at each such office a register of voters.

Regulation 5—Chairman of the Regional Council.

The Chairman of the Regional Council shall, in addition to the requirements of regulations 1 and 2 be—

(a) not below the rank of an ex-sergeant;

(b) holding at the time of his election a responsible office in the Public Service or elsewhere.

Regulation 6—Chairman of the District Council.

The Chairman of the District Council shall have a qualification not lower than the Middle School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent.

Regulation 7—Nomination of Candidates.

A person wishing to be a candidate in any election to a Regional or District Council shall be sponsored in writing by two persons one of whom shall be qualified to be a candidate for the election in question and the other a person qualified to vote at the said election.

Regulation 8—Photographs of Candidates.

(1) Every candidate standing for election to a Regional or District Council shall send to his Regional or District Office at least four weeks before the election, two postcard-sized photographs of himself.

(2) One photograph of each candidate standing for election shall be displayed on a notice board outside or inside the Legion Hall or Office of respective Region or District.

(3) There shall be as many ballot boxes as there are candidates and the photograph of each candidate for the election shall he displayed on one ballot box.

Regulation 9—Procedure for Voting.

(1) The Ghana Legion Identity Card of every registered voter present at the premises where the voting is taking place and willing to vote shall be used as a ballot card for voting.

(2) Every registered voter shall permit his Ghana Legion Identity Card to be inspected by an officer of the Legion appointed for that purpose before he enters the voting hall.

(3) Before the beginning of voting each ballot box shall be opened to the public for inspection by the Returning Officer.

(4) Each ballot box shall then be placed in some secluded premises or screened off place at the time of voting.

(5) The Returning Officer shall call the names of voters from the Register of Voters and they shall queue up.

(6) Each voter shall then go into the secluded premises or screened off place where the ballot boxes are placed and put his identity card into the ballot box of the candidate he is voting for.

(7) At the close of the voting the Returning Officer shall count the identity cards in each ballot box in the presence of all the candidates except those who do not wish to be present.

(8) The Returning Officer shall announce the results of the voting to the public and cause them to be published in the national newspapers.

Regulation 10—Challenge Procedure.

(1) Any candidate for  an election or any member of the Legion may within four weeks after the publication of the results of the elections challenge the results, procedure of the election or the qualification of a candidate.

(2) The challenge referred to in sub-regulation (1) of this regulation shall be in writing and shall be sent to the Regional Council.

(3) Immediately after receiving the challenge referred to in sub-regulation (2) of this regulation, the Regional Council shall forward it to the Commissioner responsible for Defence.

Regulation 11—Supervision of Voting.

Every Regional and District election shall supervised by—

(a) representatives from the respective Regional and District Councils;

(b) representatives from the Armed Forces; and

(c) observers from the National Council or persons nominated by the Secretary-General.

Regulation 12—Returning Officers.

(1) The persons authorised to supervise the voting under regulation 11 of these Regulations shall elect from their number a Returning Officer and two assistants.

(2) A Returning Officer elected under sub-regulation (1) of this regulation shall be responsible for the general arrangements for the elections.

Regulation 13—Confirmation of Elected Candidates.

(1) Immediately after each election and the publication of the results thereof the Returning Officer shall send the list of elected candidates to the Commissioner responsible for Defence for his confirmation.

(2) The Commissioner may confirm the election of each candidate four weeks after his election if no objection has been raised from the Region or District where the elections were held.

PART II—OPERATION OF GHANA LEGION RAFFLE.

Regulation 14—Organisation of Raffles.

The National Council may organise raffles or cause raffles to be organised as often as it deems fit.

Regulation 15—Authority to Organise Raffle.

(1) The Secretary-General of the Legion may, on behalf of the National Council, authorise in writing any organisation or any member of the Legion to organise or to run a raffle on behalf of the Legion in any part of Ghana so however that the Secretary-General may in his own discretion withdraw the authority upon the grounds of dishonest practices or otherwise and shall in any case withdraw such authority if the Commissioner so directs.

(2) A monthly fee prescribed by the National Council shall be paid by the organisation or person authorised under this regulation to organise or to run a raffle on behalf of the Legion to the Legion.

Regulation 16—Place of Operation of Raffles.

Raffles may be organised or run in any convenient public place.

Regulation 17—Manner of Operation of Raffles.

(1) The organiser of any raffle may at his discretion organise any game of chance in which any number of players or stakers may take part.

(2) The organiser may impose any limitations as he thinks fit as regards staking.

(3) It shall be the duty of the organiser to explain the rules of the game to players or  stakers before the commencement of the game.

(4) Where a staker or player wins a game he shall be given a prize in the form of cash, provisions or other articles.

Regulation 18—Eligibility for Assistance from the Legion.

(1) No ex-serviceman shall be eligible for assistance from the Legion unless he is—

(a) blind, aged or destitute; or

(b) substantially disabled or infirm and has a medical certificate issued by a Government medical officer as to the nature, degree and percentage of his disability.

(2) The grant of assistance in any form shall be in the discretion of the Legion.

Regulation 19—Commencement.

These Regulations shall come into force at the same time as the Ghana Legion Decree. 1974 (N.R.C.D. 285).

COLONEL  I. K. ACHEAMPONG

Commissioner responsible for Defence

Date of Gazette Notification: 20th September, 1974.