UK supports 2016 elections with £4m for the last time

The United Kingdom has given Ghana £4 million as part of efforts to entrench democracy particularly the running of elections in the West African country.

The support comes on the back of several others including a £6-million support in 2012 for that year’s elections.

Speaking at a short ceremony to announce the support, UK’s Minister of State for International Development Desmond Swayne said the priority of the support is to strengthen state institutions.

“Our main effort is going to be firstly strengthening the state institution,” he said on Wednesday, April 6, “the Electoral Commission, the police and the judiciary.”

Mr Swayne argued that it will not be out of place “to build up a contingency fund, a rapid reaction facility so that we can deal with problems as they arise and problems as they arise”.

The UK invested a total of £300 million between 2011 and 2016 and has been particularly pivotal in supporting the past six elections in Ghana.

The latest support is expected to span five years, and Mr. Swayne predicts that may be the last from the Kingdom.

“Because of the fact that you are becoming a middle-income country, I anticipate that this will be the last such investment that we will make in democratic structures of this sort.”

Present at the ceremony were the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei, Inspector General of Police John Kudalor, UK High Commissioner Jon Benjamin and Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, Victor Smith.