By James Amoh Junior
Accra, Nov. 29, GNA – Stakeholders in Ghana’s forthcoming elections have committed to ensuring a credible, peaceful, free and fair polls on December 7.
At a symposium on the theme: “Protecting the Ballot: Deepening Democracy” organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, they called for a shared responsibility by all stakeholders to advance the country’s democracy through credible polls.
Supported by the Norwegian Government, the symposium brought together key players from Ghana’s electoral, security, and civic education sectors.
Their shared objective was to strategize for peaceful, free, and fair elections ahead of the nation’s 2024 general polls.
The symposium provided a platform for rich discourse, highlighting the efforts of the Electoral Commission (EC), the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Election observers and the Ghana Police Service in safeguarding the democratic process.
Dr. Serebour Quiacoe, Director of Training at the Electoral Commission, emphasized the commission’s commitment to upholding transparency and fairness.
He underscored the collaborative processes in ballot paper production and distribution, which involved political parties and security services.
“The Commission ensures that all processes, from voter registration to ballot transportation, are open and participatory,” Dr. Quiacoe said.
“Every Ghanaian has the constitutional right to vote, and it is our mandate to safeguard this right,” he stressed.
Dr Quiacoe disclosed that approximately 41,000 polling stations had been prepared, with plans to train domestic and international observers, and reaffirmed that polling stations nationwide would be adequately resourced and monitored.
Stressing the importance of stakeholder participation, he added: “When everyone plays their role diligently, we can assure the best election in the country’s history.”
ACP Al-Meyao Abass Kwarasey, Director of Operations at the Police Headquarters, who spoke on the police preparedness, shared insights into the robust plans of the National Election Security Task Force (NESTF).
The task force, comprising multiple security agencies, he said, had developed a comprehensive three-phase strategy covering pre-election, election-day, and post-election activities.
ACP Kwarasey detailed measures to ensure safety at polling stations, including the deployment of at least two officers to each location and the formation of rapid response teams for potential flashpoints.
He highlighted the emphasis on a de-escalation policy, which prioritized dialogue over confrontation in resolving disputes.
“We are ready to respond to any challenges…Our goal is to maintain a peaceful environment that upholds the credibility of the electoral process,” ACP Kwarasey assured.
He said, “Ghana is the winner in every election…Every citizen has a duty to report potential threats to peace and to exercise their rights responsibly.”
The Police Service has also established a media center to counter misinformation, providing accurate and timely updates throughout the election period.
This initiative, he observed, would enhance transparency and minimize disinformation as the media was a critical stakeholder.
Mr Victor Brobbey, Deputy Chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education, outlined the commission’s focus on countering electoral challenges, including misinformation, ethnic and religious biases, and monetization in politics.
He expressed concern over the rise of monetized politics, labeling it a threat to democratic integrity.
“It’s troubling that people openly discuss receiving money for votes as if it’s normal,” he said, adding that the NCCE had intensified efforts to educate Ghanaians about the dangers of such practices.
He called attention to the unique dynamics of the upcoming elections, where for the first time in Ghana’s Fourth Republic, the two leading political parties were fielding candidates from different religious backgrounds.
This, he explained, necessitated focused messaging to prevent divisive rhetoric.
Mr. Brobbey warned against complacency in light of the political instability across West Africa, urging all stakeholders to prioritize peace and democratic continuity.
Major General Richard Addo Gyane, Commandant, KAIPTC, said if Ghana was often touted as a cradle of democracy in Africa, it was not for an absence of some of the challenges that sometimes bedevil similar democratic initiatives.
Since 1992, he noted that, the Country had won plaudits from a variety of actors about its democratic credentials and ability to sail through some of the most fiercely contested elections.
He said, “For me, this affirms a coming of age, especially of our security forces since the last military take-over in our political history, and our determination to protect the constitution even at the peril of our lives, as we have sworn to do.”
Accroding to Maj Gen Gyane, the rising trend of misinformation and disinformation had hampered a large section of the population’s ability to discern truth and make discerning decisions.
That, he stated, presented risks not only to the country’s political stability but also raised questions about the potential roles of critical stakeholders in forestalling violence and contributing to consolidating the country’s democratic gains.
GNA