A senior research fellow at the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) Professor Kwesi Jonah has urged stakeholders in the electoral process to ensure that mechanisms are put in place to make elections credible and acceptable to all.
Speaking at a Seminar on Electoral Commission Procedures for Electoral Officers and Publication of Results, Professor Jonah conceded that although Ghana’s democracy was not without challenges, the country had chalked some enviable successes.
“We have already conducted eight relatively free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections, we are going into the ninth election.
“Going entirely by objective indicators globally, our democracy with all its imperfections is not doing badly at all. We are the 7th democratically governed country on the African continent. We are the first most peaceful country in the West African sub-region and fourth on the entire African continent, ” the professor said.
He cited a Harvard University report dubbed ‘The African Stability Index’ in which Ghana ranks sixth as the most stable country in Africa.
Professor Jonah noted that heading to Election 2024 Ghana had “a huge reputation not only to protect but to improve”.
The academic further observed that reforms were needed to improve Ghana’s democratic credentials.
Representing the Electoral Commission, the Director of Training Martin Serebour Quaicoe lauded the media and civil society organizations for their efforts in collating results even before the commission officially announced election results.
He joked that the computers of political parties will only crash when the results are not favourable.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mitchell Asare Amoamah