Election Integrity In Crisis: A Citizen's Desperate Plea

I am compelled to express my profound concern regarding the egregious bias exhibited by the Electoral Commission towards the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the main opposition party in Ghana. This bias has been manifest in various by-elections and parliamentary and presidential elections, thereby undermining the integrity of the electoral process. As the Bible astutely observes in Proverbs 29:2, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan." I implore you to take immediate action to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process, consistent with the exemplary tenures of Dr. Afari Djan and Charlotte Osei, which yielded peace and stability.

My investigation has led me to conclude that, as a matter of utmost urgency, the NDC should be permitted to install CCTV cameras at selected polling stations across the country. In areas where camera installation is impossible, I should be allowed to deploy my internal security personnel, given my diminished trust in the military and police, who may not maintain neutrality in the electoral process. As the local proverb sagely notes, "A word to the wise is enough"; I am cognizant of Jean Mensah's agenda to foment electoral violence, but I will not remain passive and witness my peace and stability being destroyed.

The Electoral Commission, entrusted with the responsibility of being a neutral and impartial arbiter, has been accused of accepting bribes from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). The recent by-election in Ejisu serves as a paradigmatic example, where the Electoral Commission recruited an overwhelming majority of Constituency Executives from Kumawu and surrounding Constituencies in the Ashanti Region. This unprecedented development has never occurred during the tenures of Dr. Afari Djan or Charlotte Osei. Ordinarily, election auditing and staffing of polling stations are undertaken by a representative from the national Electoral Commission, but this time, Constituency Executives from some Constituencies were employed as staff of the Electoral Commission, thereby compromising the integrity of the electoral process.

I demand that the Electoral Commission revives its integrity and takes the necessary steps to ensure a credible electoral process. I insist that all polling stations' registers, including Constituency Executives and regional Executives albums, throughout the country be exchanged as documents between the two major parties, the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party. This is essential to ensure transparency and accountability. If the Electoral Commission proceeds to feature any of these persons as their staff representing polling station officers and something occurs resulting in bloodshed or electoral violence, then I have no one to blame but the commissioners at the Electoral Commission.

I aspire to a peaceful and violence-free electoral process in this country, akin to what transpired during Afari Djan's tenure and Charlotte Osei's tenure from 2012-2016, who discharged their duties with utmost professionalism. During the 2020 general elections, no authentic presidential election result was announced to us as citizens due to the declaration of three different types of results by the commissioner, rendering it impossible for me to trust her. Furthermore, the president of Ghana appointing known party stalwarts and Executives at the Commissioner level has never been the case since the inception of our democratic dispensation, thereby eroding trust in the electoral process.

As the Bible sagely notes in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." I demand that the Electoral Commission works towards peace and stability, rather than electoral violence. What assurance will the Electoral Commission provide me that in a situation where a polling station has a total registration of 100 people, but the actual situation on the ground recorded by NDC polling station is 78 and NPP polling station recorded 97, which of the two figures will the Electoral Commission presiding or returning officer accept? This is a critical question given that BVDs (Biometric Verification Devices) are electronic gadgets that are not 100% assured. However, with the installation of cameras and my own generator sets on standby, I am confident of a credible election come December 7th.

I do not trust the currently elected Electoral Commissioners, both at the national, regional, and Constituency levels, given their antecedents. As the local proverb aptly notes, "A house divided against itself cannot stand"; I will not permit the Electoral Commission to divide me with their biases and electoral violence.

Sincerely,

Hon. Simon Yaw Awadzi

Assemblyman-Aborlove Nolopi -KeMA

0558589873

References:

• Constitution of Ghana (1992)
• Electoral Commission of Ghana Guidelines (2020)
• Electoral Commission of Ghana Rules (2020)
• Bible (Proverbs 29:2, Psalm 85:6, Matthew 5:9)
• Local proverbs (A word to the wise is enough, When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back at you