Workshop on electoral conflict held at Akwatia

Akwatia, June 26, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), is undertaking an interactive public education and training in three regions, as part efforts to stem the tide of electoral conflicts and sustain political stability in Ghana. The programme is aimed at building the capacity of the NCCE field officers, electoral officers, political activists, communal and religious leaders and traditional authorities to deal with conflict situations that have the potential to affect the electoral process and governance in general.

The regions are Eastern, Northern and Ashanti. In the Eastern Region, stakeholders' workshops are being organized in Kwaebibirem, Atiwa, West Akyem and Yilo Districts. Addressing the Kwaebibirem workshop at Akwatia, Mrs Augustina Akumanyi, Deputy Chairman of the NCCE, noted that the first step in participatory democracy was elections.

She said under normal circumstances, one would be tempted to say that Ghanaian voters had had enough experience at the polls such that one needed not to bother oneself over electoral difficulties. Mrs Akumanyi, however, noted that if experience was the best teacher, then one could confidently say that the upcoming district assembly elections presented a number of challenges.

She said there were processes of resolution of electoral disputes, but unfortunately, majority of voters and political party activists were not aware of those conflict resolution mechanism, hence the workshop. Mr Eric Bortey, Eastern Regional Director of the NCCE, said election itself was a process made up of registration, campaigning, voting and declaration of results, which all had their problems. He said it was therefore necessary that Ghanaians, especially political parties, understood and educated their followers of the process. He advised them to refrain from violence and conflicts usually associated with elections.

Mr Gabriel Dei, Kwaebibirem District Officer of the Electoral Commission, took the participants through topics such as; "What is Election", "Type of Election," "Electoral Process, Registration of Voters, Exhibition of Voters' Register, Nomination of Candidates and Replacement of lost ID Cards."

He said there were so many avenues for dealing with electoral disputes and emphasized that raw force in the form of vandalism was certainly not one of the avenues.

The Akwatia District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nana Ekow Yawson, urged security personnel to exercise professionalism and remain neutral, especially when handling electoral issues. 26 June 10