When duty becomes a curse: The plight of Ghana's 2024 general election temporary electoral officers left unpaid

Six months have passed since Ghana held one of its most fiercely contested general elections—an exercise that tested the resilience and commitment of every temporary staff recruited by the Electoral Commission. While the nation celebrated the peaceful transition of power and the swearing-in of a new government, many of us, the very people who made the election possible, remain forgotten.

I write this not only as an individual betrayed by the very system I helped uphold but also as a voice for thousands of my colleagues across the country who, till date, have not received the allowances due us for our critical roles during the elections.

As a temporary electoral officer, my duty station was in a remote part of the constituency, where I had to cross a river under risky conditions to reach the polling centre. That was not all. After a long and tiring day of conducting voting, I had to transport ballot materials across the same river at night—a treacherous journey that could have cost me my life. With fatigue setting in, I boarded a vehicle that drove several kilometres in darkness to the constituency collation centre, where I stayed awake, keeping vigil in a queue until my turn came at 3:30 a.m. I was exhausted, cold, and hungry. But I did it, because I believed I was serving Ghana.

Yet today, what do I—and so many others—have to show for our sacrifice? Nothing.

We have made countless calls, followed up with numerous visits to district and regional EC offices, only to be met with vague responses, empty promises, and sheer disregard. The final insult came in the form of a memo issued five months after the election by the Electoral Commission, shifting blame to the Ministry of Finance. According to this memo, funds have not been released. How convenient?

Meanwhile, the elected officials, who would not have been in office but for our work—have since been sworn in, comfortably drawing monthly salaries, enjoying state privileges, and making grand speeches about national development and youth empowerment. How is it fair that those who worked in the shadows to protect our democracy are left in limbo?

This is not merely about money. It is about respect. It is about justice. It is about the dignity of labour.

Many of us took time off school, family, and work to participate in this national exercise. Some even borrowed money to travel to training centres and polling stations with the hope that their allowances would be paid soon after the exercise. For some, this was their only source of income for months. What message does it send when the state chooses to neglect its own servants?

It is therefore no surprise that many experienced and committed electoral officers have vowed never to partake in future elections. Who can blame them? Why would any sane Ghanaian risk life and limb, endure sleepless nights, and expose themselves to danger and stress, only to be ignored and disrespected?

The Electoral Commission must understand that no successful election is possible without the diligence, sacrifices, and goodwill of temporary staff. We are the face of the EC at polling stations. We are the reason elections run smoothly, votes are counted accurately, and democracy survives. To treat us as disposable labour is both cruel and short-sighted.

We demand immediate payment of our allowances, and we call on civil society organisations, the media, and the general public to hold the Electoral Commission and the Ministry of Finance accountable. If this injustice is allowed to persist, it will discourage capable Ghanaians from supporting future elections—jeopardising the very democratic process we all claim to cherish.

We may be temporary in our contracts, but our contributions are permanent in the annals of Ghana's democracy. We deserve better.

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