Give transparency a chance and allow a forensic audit - Prof Kpessa-Whyte to Electoral Commission

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has issued a clarion call to all its members, sympathizers, and the public to join a nationwide democratic plan against the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, for its intransigence against demands for transparency about its operation and matters arising from the 2024 voters’ register.

According to the party, the call for a forensic audit of the voters’ register is a matter of public interest and to ensure that the integrity of the 2024 election and the peace of the country is protected and preserved.

Commenting on the call by the NDC, a Political Scientist at the Institute of African Studies University of Ghana and a senior member of the NDC, Prof. Michael Kpessa-Whyte has advised the top management of the Electoral Commission to appreciate the concerns being raised in good faith and take steps to allow the necessary audits to be conducted to assuage lingering accusations that the top management of the commission are remote-controlled by the government and functionaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In a post on X to further explain his concerns, Prof. Kpessa-Whyte argued that the posturing, intransigence, and seeming undemocratic attitude of the Electoral Commission under Jean Mensah endangers the lives, safety, and security of its workers and officials across the country because opaqueness is an afront to democratic principles.

In Prof. Kpessa-Whyte’s assessment, a lack of transparency can lead to mistrust among political parties, civil society, and citizens, which can ultimately undermine trust in Ghana’s governance institutions; and cautioned the top management of the EC to be mindful that public perception of biases in the discharge of its responsibilities has the potential to derail the entire democratic aspirations of the country.

He noted that the seeming defensive posture of the EC in public debates as well as comments from its officials often creates the impression that the election management body has taken a stand to frustrate the NDC.

Professor Kpessa-Whyte wonders why the EC appears to prioritize opaqueness over transparency given the inherent dangers associated with the former.

In his view, the EC needs to know that the stakes are high and it is in the interest of everyone that the processes and mechanisms involved in the elections are open, clean, and inclusive, especially because opaqueness can exacerbate political polarization, as parties may accuse each other of manipulation which is a recipe for violence.

In an interview, following his post on X, Prof. Kpessa-Whyte argued that “by operating opaquely, the Electoral Commission risks undermining the credibility and legitimacy of Ghana's electoral process, potentially leading to political instability and social unrest, something all of us have worked so hard as a nation to avoid” and averred that “Ghana's Electoral Commission must listen to voices of reason, and open up to demands for transparency especially given that a forensic audit will enhance the image of the institution and reverse its dwindling trust” no matter the outcome.

Ghanaians must take an active interest in the operations of the Electoral Commission to ensure the transfer of political power in the country remains as an exercise of ballots and not bullets, and a forensic audit is one surest way for, Ghana's Electoral Commission to ensure a fair, credible, and inclusive electoral process that reflects the will of the people, he concluded.