Ghanaians have been commended for consolidating the country's democracy by ensuring peaceful elections on December 7.
Three International Election Observation Missions gave the commendation in their respective preliminary post-election assessment of the December polls in Accra on Monday, December 9, 2024.
The missions were the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), the African Union and the Commonwealth Observer Group.
They commended the electorate, Electoral Commission, political parties and their respective Presidential candidates for their commitment to democratic principles as it was evident in the December 7 polls.
ECOWAS
The ECOWAS mission observed that despite a few minor challenges, the conduct of the 2024 General elections was largely peaceful and, to a significant extent, complied with national and regional normative frameworks.
The mission further explained that professionalism on the part of the polling staff and the effective presence of security agencies at polling venues ensured that Ghanaian voters were able to freely and secretly express their choice in an atmosphere that guaranteed their safety.
Violence
However, the ECOWAS Commission said they were made aware and regretted the isolated security incident at Nyankpala, in the Northern Region, which led to the death of one person and injury to another.
The international observation group commended the Electoral Management Body (EMB) for ensuring inclusivity by allowing People With Disabilities (PWDs) and the visually impaired to vote independently.
The Mission further commended the high sense of professionalism and patriotism exhibited by security agencies and the electorate, who collectively played their part in ensuring the transparent and peaceful conduct of the 2024 General elections.
Sportsmanship, magnanimity
The Mission also commended the high sense of sportsmanship displayed by the Presidential candidates in living up to their commitments under the Peace Pact.
The Mission particularly acknowledged the magnanimity of the presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for conceding defeat even before the official declaration of results of the Presidential election, which contributed to dousing tensions in the country.
The Mission also congratulated the President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, for his victory at the polls. The ECOWAS mission congratulated the good people of Ghana and wished them continued peace, progress and development.
The ECOWAS Observation Mission finally saluted the outgoing President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for his able stewardship of Ghana over the last eight years and further commended him for his leadership, mediation efforts and regional integration initiatives on behalf of the Community.
AU
The African Union Observation Mission on it’s part stated that Ghanaians showed their strong commitment to democratic values, citing the peaceful conduct of the country’s general elections on December 7, 2024.
Led by the Head of the AU mission, Sahle-Work Zewde, it affirmed that the overall electoral process adhered to regional and international standards, further reinforcing Ghana’s reputation as a democratic leader in Africa.
While lauding the Government, the people of Ghana, and the Electoral Commission for setting high standards in the management of the elections, the AU mission also offered some recommendations aimed at strengthening the electoral system and further enhancing Ghana’s democratic practices.
According to the AU mission, these recommendations are crucial steps for Ghana to further solidify its democratic processes and ensure inclusive, transparent, and fair elections in the future.
On gender equality, the AU mission urged Ghana to intensify efforts towards achieving gender equality by aligning national measures with the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (ACDEG), the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and international standards such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
On Affirmative Action, the mission recommended the enactment of affirmative action legislation to increase the political participation of underrepresented groups, including women, youth, and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
On Campaign finance, the AU mission emphasised the need for comprehensive legislation to regulate campaign finance, curb the misuse of state resources, and ensure a fair electoral playing field for all political candidates.
Commonwealth Group
The Commonwealth Observation Group, in its assessment of the pre-election environment applauded political parties for signing the Peace Pact on November 28, 2024. This the Group noted was a testament of Ghana’s continued commitment to stability and peace and its recognition as a stable democracy.
The group further commended the professionalism and preparedness of the National Election Security Taskforce saying it had significant engagement with the Police Service, and were assured of their commitment to peace and de-escalation tactics to ensure that Ghanaians were able to exercise their right to vote in a peaceful manner.
It observed that although there was inclusivity, there were accessibility challenges at some polling stations which went against some Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). It also observed that voting booths were too high for some voters on wheelchairs and recommended that adjustable voting booths should be included in subsequent elections to ensure that PWDs exercise their franchise with dignity and in accordance with the law.
Background
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the December 7 elections. The 141-member Mission was led by Mohammed Namadi Sambo, former Vice-President of Nigeria, and assisted by Ambassador Baboucarr Blaise Jagne, former Foreign Minister of the Republic of The Gambia.
The ECOWAS EOM is facilitated by a Technical Team from the ECOWAS Commission, led by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel Fatau Musah.
Its membership is drawn from the ECOWAS Parliament, the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), the Community Court of Justice, the Foreign Affairs Ministries and Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) of ECOWAS Member States, as well as representatives of civil society, the media, and independent experts from across West Africa.
At the invitation of the Government of Ghana and the Electoral Commission (EC), the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) deployed an African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to observe the election.
The Mission represents AU’s efforts to promote transparent and credible elections and deepen democratic governance in Africa within the context of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).
The Mission was led by Sahle-Work Zewde, Former President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and supported by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Member of the Panel of the Wise and Former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa. It comprised of 60 short-term observers (STOs) and technical electoral experts drawn from 27 African countries.
Following the Pre-Election Assessment Mission in October 2024 and the subsequent invitation from the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, constituted a 16-member Commonwealth Observation Group to observe Ghana’s ninth Presidential and Parliamentary elections since the transition to multi-party democratic rule in 1992.
The group arrived on November 29, 2024 and will depart Accra on December 13, 2024.
The Group's role is to offer an independent, informed and impartial analysis of the electoral process, taking account of all factors which may impact or impinge on the overall credibility of an election.
