Ghana’s electoral process is tightly built - EC

Mrs Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, has reiterated that Ghana’s electoral process is tightly built and that it would be difficult for any person or a group to rig elections for any political parties.

She explained that the system had been structured such that political parties were involved right from the registration process through to declaration.

Mrs Mensa, said this on Tuesday when she led a team of Commissioners of the EC to pay a courtesy call on the Catholic Bishop Conference in Accra.

Included in the team were her two deputies – Mr. Samuel Tettey, in-charge of Operations, and Dr. Eric Bossman Asare, in-charge of Corporate Services, Madam Adwoa Asuama Abrefa, a Commissioner.

The EC’s Delegation was received jointly by Most Reverend Bishop Naameh, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference, Most Rev John Bonaventure Kwofie, the new Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Bishop Joseph Afrifa-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua and other Reverend Fathers.

The Commission, she said was committed to ensuring free, fair, transparent and credible elections.

“We are committed and working hard to ensure that Election 2020 will be free, fair, transparent and credible. As much as possible we are working with all stakeholders towards fulfilling this constitutional mandate. We are encouraging political parties to report any concern to the EC for it to be resolved,” she said.

“We inherited a very well screwed system and we will protect and enhance it,” she added.

Asked about concern of the integrity of the Commissioners appointed by incumbent government, she assured Ghanaians that they would not do the bidding of the government but would take decisive steps that would maintain the nation’s enviable peace.

Touching on the administrative structures of the EC, she said much attention had not been focused on the structure and had led to many lapses.

Archbishop Naameh expressed joy at the decision by the EC to meet stakeholders and commended them for the effort.

He pledged the Church’s unflinching support towards deepening the knowledge of the public on electoral process through education, adding that, “Supporting your work means we are contributing to peace and unity of the country”.

Archbishop Naameh said the church as part of efforts to contribute towards free and fair elections would continue to engage IPAC.

Most Rev Kwofie urged the EC to educate the public and involved them in the process to dispel rumour which he described as noise that the EC was deliberately disenfranchising electorate.

He also appealed to the Commission to include independent bodies in the Inter Party Advisory Committee to ensure that political party representatives do not misinformation the public about decisions.

“When independent bodies are represented, they will be witnesses to IPAC decisions and it cannot be twisted”.