Experts Urge Electoral Commission to Nurture Trust Among Political Parties Ahead of 2024 General Election
As Ghana prepares for the 2024 General Election, experts are calling on the Electoral Commission (EC) to build trust among political parties to ensure that the election results are acceptable to all stakeholders.
According to Dr Kojo Pumpuni Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), building trust in the electoral processes, extending the time frame for election, planning, and increasing public access to key data results are necessary to improve the nation’s democratic governance.
Dr Asante advised the EC to correct the growing negative perception about the institution, referring to the numerous legal challenges faced by both the Kenyan and Nigerian electoral management bodies. He recommended that the EC ensures the timely conclusion of its legal reforms ahead of the general election. He also called for the reforming of the process of appointment to the EC Board, saying that the current method did not make it transparent and inclusive.
Dr Bright Akwetey, Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Development, Ghana (IDEG), urged the EC to set a time frame and limit for political parties to campaign for general elections. In both Kenya and Nigeria, he said, their electoral management bodies regulated the periods and duration of political campaigns. Ghana’s lack of such measures is not helping, he noted. He called on political parties to not only focus on election-related issues but innovate development-oriented policies to benefit the people.
Dr Edward Ampratwum, a representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), advised political parties to commit to dialogue, consensus building and resolving their differences with peaceful means. He said election was one of the major triggers of violence across the globe, having led to democratic reversals and unconstitutional changes in government, especially in Africa.
Mr Mulle Musau, Coordinator of Elections Observation Group in Kenya, stated that Ghana should have clear electoral laws, which must be adhered to by all political parties. He said the various components of the electoral processes, such as voter identification, registration and verification, must be transparent and inclusive.
Ms Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programmes Yiaga Africa, Nigeria, emphasised that the EC should not create doubt about the electoral processes so that the outcome of the elections would be accepted by all the parties.
For the most part, the experts are calling on the EC to build trust and transparency in the electoral processes, and ensure that legal reforms are concluded in a timely manner. The experts also recommended that political parties focus on developing policies that would benefit the people, commit to dialogue, consensus building, and resolving their differences with peaceful means. The electoral laws should be clear, and all the components of the electoral processes must be transparent and inclusive. By taking these steps, Ghana can ensure a peaceful and credible 2024 General Election.