2024 election: Don’t change election date; focus on your mandate to conduct free, fair election – CSOs charge EC

Leading Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have come together to kick against any move by the Electoral Commission (EC) to change the date for the 2024 General Elections.

The CSOs including Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana), Democratic Credentials Network (DCN), and Coalition of Ghanaians without Ghana Card (CGWGC) at a joint press conference on Tuesday, February 6, admonished the EC to focus on its core mandate of organising a free and fair election for the country.

Addressing journalists at the press conference, Founder of CFF-Ghana, Mr. Richard Kasu said the EC’s argument backing the proposal to move the election from December to November has no basis.

“We do not support any imagination to change the date of our general election. Thus far, the EC’s argument for this proposal is based on transition of power. It’s worth noting that the mandate of the EC is not on transition of power. The EC must focus on its mandate of conducting free and fair elections and leave transition of power to the presidency and parliament to deal with,” he said.

The CSOs called on the Electoral Commission to give public assurance on issues of great national concern so far as the 2024 election is concerned to build public trust.

The CSO insists that having taken cognisance of the numerous challenges regarding the acquisition of the Ghana Card, it must not be made the sole source document for voter registration in 2024.

“We call on International Partners including the European Union (EU) and other relevant election stakeholders to pay attention to every step of the way to ensure credible elections are held,” Richard Kasu said.

Peace Advocate and Aburi Mawrehene, Nana Amoah Kwadwo II supported the calls by the CSOs, adding that the EC must not scrap the use of indelible ink in the conduct of the 2023 General Elections.

He said “We should maintain the date [for the election] for now and advocate on the changes as time goes on. It will be a big blow if we accept the Ghana Card as the sole source of registration for the Voter ID. I feel the guarantor system should go hand in hand until the issues of the Ghana Card are sorted. Banning the use of indelible ink will cause chaos.”

Nana Amoah Kwadwo II further called on traditional leaders in the country to be mindful of their speeches in the run-up to the General Elections and prioritise advocating for peace before, during, and after the elections.

Below is the speech read by Richard Kasu on behalf of the CSOs at the press conference on Tuesday.

JOINT CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs) PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY RICHARD KASU, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CFF-GHANA ON THE THEME "PROMOTING FREE AND FAIR 2024 ELECTIONS THROUGH CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION (EC) OF GHANA" AT 37 OFFICERS MESS CONFERENCE ROOM ON TUESDAY, 6TH FEBRUARY, 2024.

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press!

Let me welcome you on behalf of the organizers of this joint press conference which includes leading Civil Society Organizations such as Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana), Democratic Credentials Network (DCN) and Coalition of Ghanaians without Ghana Card (CGWGC) and to also thank you for coming on such a short notice.

Friends of the Media, as you may be aware, 65 countries worldwide with estimated population of over 2 billion will be holding their national elections in 2024 of which Ghana is no exception. These upcoming elections will test the democratic foundations of the countries involved and it's critically important stakeholders in Ghana's electoral process rise to the occasion to safeguard the democratic credentials of the country more especially at a time when there are grave concerns of the electoral process which threatens the very existence of Ghana's democracy.

It is against the above background that this joint CSOs press conference is being held under our democratic consolidation initiative christened #safeguarding Our Democracy# to constructively engage with the EC to addressing the ills for free and fair general election.

Friends of the media, the issues troubling many Ghanaians so far as the 2024 general election is concerned are discussed below;

Misconduct by some EC officials
The Commission’s posture does not denote one as an electoral referee. Some officials of the EC including Commissioners have gained notoriety in making unguarded public statements casting a shadow of doubt about their neutrality as referees in the electoral process. For example, Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman of the Commission in charge of Corporate Services during the 2023 limited registration exercise said ‘voting is not by force’ resulting in public anger by many Ghanaians. It is important to note that the misconduct of some EC staff including misleading vulnerable voters particularly people with disabilities (PWDs) and the aged who cannot read to vote wrongly in recent times leave much to be desired. A handy example is the misconduct of an EC staff during the Kumawu by-election. During that by-election, there was half-an-hour suspension of election proceedings at Bodomase Methodist polling station due to a complaint by an elderly woman who claimed to have been misled by EC official to vote wrongly against her will. These actions and inactions by the supposed referee, the EC is fast eroding confidence in the electoral process so far as 2024 elections are concerned.

EC’s entrenched position to make Ghana Card sole document for voter registration:

Having thoroughly assessed the reforms being contemplated by the EC, We have taken note of the ongoing efforts by the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana to review the existing Constitutional Instrument (CI) particularly portions pertaining to registration of voters. As you may recall, Parliament on Friday, 31st March 2023, has by unanimous decision, rejected the Electoral Commission’s (EC) Constitutional Instrument (CI), that sought to make the Ghana card sole registration document for voting.

As if the rejection by the August House is not enough, the Commission is hell bent on using Ghana Card as sole document for voter registration. According to the EC, the guarantor system had the highest patronage during the 2023 limited registration exercise with 563,919 users representing 61.9% followed by Ghana card users which stood at 37.8% and passport users at 0.3% respectively.

From the above data, we contend that, if the C.I. is passed in its current form or shape, it will completely disenfranchise millions of prospective voters who for no fault of theirs are unable to obtain the Ghana card issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) contravening the right provided for Ghanaians under Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.

The reason(s) for this unpopular decision by the EC is yet to be told.

Non-Usage of indelible ink:
We condemn in no uncertain terms the decision by the Electoral Commission not to use the traditional indelible ink which continues to help us prevent multiple voting in the upcoming 2024 elections. The claim by the EC chair, Jean Mensa that the non-usage of indelible ink was part of measures by the Commission to improve the electoral process and ensure a robust identification system cannot be true. Truth be told, if this unpopular decision is implemented, it shall give room to multiple voting which in turn will dent the credibility of the election results with its attendant challenges including electoral violence.

Change of Election Date from December, 7th to November, 7th:

We do not support any imagination to change the date of our general election. Thus far, the EC’s argument for this proposal is based on transition of power. It’s worth noting that the mandate of the EC is not on transition of power. The EC must focus on its mandate of conducting free and fair elections and leave transition of power to the presidency and parliament to deal with.

Call to Action:
Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, in our collective quest to promoting the integrity of Ghana’s election, we recommend the following;

1. That the EC give public assurance on issues of great national concern so far as the 2024 election is concern to build public trust;

2. That having taken cognizance of the numerous challenges regarding the acquisition of the Ghana Card, it must not be made as the sole source document for the voter registration in 2024;

3.That we call on International Partners including the European Union (EU) and other relevant election stakeholders to pay attention to every step of the way to ensure credible elections are held;

Thank you for coming!
Long live Ghana!!
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