NCCE mulls national summit on electoral violence

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) is lining up a national summit to address the issue of electoral violence in Ghana.

Announcing this on TV3’s News 360 on Thursday, Chairperson Josephine Nkrumah said the summit will definitely involve political parties, which are central to the conduct of elections in Ghana.

Ms Nkrumah was speaking on the back of the violence that was recorded during Thursday’s by-election in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

The clashes between supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some armed masked men resulted in at least seven people sustaining injuries.

A Member of Parliament, Sam Nartey George, who represents Ningo-Prampram Constituency but at the grounds to monitor the polls, was also assaulted by some security officers.

“This is not acceptable for a democracy that is 26 years,” Ms Nkrumah told newscaster Alfred Ocansey.

She said electoral violence goes a long way to compromise election processes, making the citizenry lose trust entirely in results.

She called on all hands on deck to deal with the issue.

Earlier, the Commission had condemned in no uncertain terms the violence that marred voting at some centres, though described by the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) as isolated.

It put the blame at the doorstep of the two major political parties – the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“The NPP and NDC cannot hold this country to a ransom intimidating voters and citizens with their political party hoodlums during election seasons for their parochial interests.

“We call for calm among voters and citizens at large and urge the security agencies to perform their duties in maintaining law and order without any fear or favour.”