Be neutral and professional – CODEO to EC, security

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has charged the country’s security agencies as well as the Electoral Commission (EC) to demonstrate a high sense of integrity and competence to ensure free and fair polls on December 7.

“It is critical that the Electoral Commission and, indeed, all stakeholders in the electoral process play their roles with professionalism and integrity to ensure that the process enjoys widespread public acceptance,” CODEO co-chair Prof V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe indicated in Accra on Tuesday, 6 December, prior to the elections.

Prof Crabbe further appealed to security officials, EC officials, political parties, and their agents to work towards maintaining peace on Election Day. He also urged all eligible voters to ensure that they cast their ballot to determine who governs the country through a widely accepted democratic process.

Meanwhile, Prof Miranda Greenstreet, another CODEO co-chair, has announced that CODEO will deploy 8000 observers across the country on Election Day.

She said the aim was to complement the EC and all stakeholders in ensuring a free, fair, and peaceful election.

She emphasised that CODEO officials had been made to sign “a pledge of neutrality and non-partisanship, which has been documented”.

Prof Greenstreet expressed confidence that with the training given the observers, they would discharge their duties effectively.

According to her, the presence of the officials will be more prominent in areas earmarked as hotspots.

She said CODEO was collaborating with the EC and security officials to ensure that the country goes through a successful electoral process.

The country heads to the polls to elect a president and parliamentarians to manage the affairs of the country for the next four years on December 7.

Aside from CODEO, there are other local and international observer missions including the European Union, African Union (AU), and the Commonwealth of Nations.