Ghana’s electoral system 3rd best in the world

Ghana’s electoral system is the third-best in the world, the GNA reports the Sunyani Municipal Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) as having said.

According to Mr Yaw Opoku, Ghana closely follows India and Canada – in that order – as far as grading of electoral systems is concerned.

Mr Opoku, who was speaking at a day’s stakeholders’ meeting to educate aspirants on the Local Government System, however, did not give details about which organisation or survey graded Ghana’s electoral system as the third-best in the world.

Under the fourth Republican constitution, Ghana has had six successful general elections, since 1992 under the supervision of the EC.

The presidential results of the last general elections held in 2012, were challenged at the Supreme Court by the main opposition New Patriotic Party’s Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo; Running mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; and then party chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey.

The Court, after eight months of hearing upheld the results as declared by the EC, which declared the incumbent, Mr John Mahama winner.

EC Chairman Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, who has overseen all presidential, parliamentary and district assembly elections since his appointment as Deputy Chairman of the Interim National Electoral Commission by Mr Jerry Rawlings’s PNDC Military junta in 1992 and later as substantive Chairman after the 1992 elections that heralded Ghana into a fourth Republic, has been the toast of the African Continent as far as elections are concerned.

In 1998, he became the Executive Secretary of the Association of African Election Authorities (AAEA) - a Regional Network of Election Management Bodies dedicated to the professionalisation of election administration through information exchange and regional networking.

The Association was birthed at the Colloquium of African Election Authorities held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in November 1994 and since then has developed into an Association with sixteen full members and six associate members.

Dr Afari Gyan also served as a member of a committee of experts that advised Nigeria on elections and also played a major role in Liberia’s post-war electoral process as well as in several other African countries. He is billed to retire this year ahead of the 2016 general elections.