Oforikrom EC assures parties of free and fair election

The Oforikrom Municipal office of the Electoral Commission (EC) has assured all stakeholders, especially political parties, of a free, transparent, and fair election as Ghana heads towards the polls in December.

Madam Matilda Kwarteng, the Municipal Director, who gave the assurance, said the EC was committed to supervising a credible election with the involvement of political parties in every step of the process.

Speaking at an Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting at Oforikrom, the EC Director underlined the need for political parties to obey the electoral laws, saying that flouting them could lead to avoidable disturbances.

The committee, which was put together by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), is made up of representatives from political parties, traditional leaders, religious leaders, youth groups, and security agencies.

The committee is to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss emerging issues to proactively address them ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Madam Kwarteng said violence must not have a place in the country’s politics having come this far with multi-party democracy, which remains a shining example in the sub-region.

She entreated political parties to prioritize the training of their agents to understand the electoral processes in order not to create confusion at polling stations.

According to her, party agents have the right to demand a recount at the polling station if they are not satisfied, adding that requesting a recount at the collation center would not be granted if it was not requested at the polling station.

She explained that if an agent was still not satisfied after a recount at the polling station, he or she would fill out a form which would allow for another recount at the collation center.

The Municipal Director called on all stakeholders to play their respective roles to ensure a peaceful election in the constituency.

Chief Superintendent Fredrick Hammond, the Municipal Police Commander, who took participants through the Public Order Act, emphasized the need for political parties to liaise with the police in organizing events such as rallies and walks.

He said giving the police prior notice would not only ensure they would be provided with security but also avert the possibility of their planned activities clashing with those of other political parties.

Rosina Owoo, the Municipal Director of NCCE, spoke about how vote buying, misinformation, disinformation, and religious intolerance were threatening the peace during elections, and stressed the need for perpetrators to desist from being conveyor belts for violence.

She said stakeholders had a collective responsibility to speak against issues that could trigger electoral violence with less than four months to the 2024 elections.

The phenomenon where politicians bought their way to power, she said, undermined the quality of leadership and urged the electorate to reject politicians who sought to influence them with money and other incentives.

She said the NCCE, in line with its mandate of educating Ghanaians on their civic responsibilities, would continue to engage stakeholders to embrace peace ahead of the election.

Nana Opoku Agyemang, the Chief of Ayeduase, who chaired the meeting, applauded the NCCE for putting together the committee, which he said could help promote peace in the Municipality beyond the election.