Election 2024: The eyes of the world are on Ghana

As the December 7 election approaches, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the country's democratic process.

As has been the tradition in every election year, ECOWAS has deployed over 100 observers to Ghana to ensure a peaceful and credible election.

The observer team, led by a former Nigerian Vice-President, Nnamadi Sambo, comprises 16 long-term observers who arrived in Accra on November 20, and 90 short-term observers who will arrive on December 2 or 3. This deployment is part of ECOWAS' efforts to promote democracy and stability in the region.

In addition to deploying observers, ECOWAS has also provided a grant of $210,000 to support two state institutions and two civil society organisations in Ghana.

The beneficiaries include the National Commission for Civic Education, National Peace Council, Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and Foundation for Security and Development in Africa.

These grants will support various initiatives aimed to promote a peaceful and transparent electoral process. For instance, the NCCE is expected to use its $100,000 grant to support civic and voter education while the NPC will use its $50,000 grant to support peace and mediation efforts.

The deployment of observers and the provision of grants demonstrate ECOWAS' commitment to ensuring that the election is free, fair and peaceful. As  the Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, noted, "Ghana is a model for democracy in the region and we want this election to reinforce that."

The Daily Graphic sees the presence of ECOWAS observers as a welcome development, as it demonstrates the organisation's commitment to promoting democracy and stability in the region.

The observers will play a crucial role in ensuring that the election is free, fair and peaceful. Their presence will also help to boost confidence in the electoral process and promote a sense of transparency and accountability.

Ghana has a reputation for being one of the most stable democracies in West Africa. We have a long history of peaceful transfers of power, and the Electoral Commission is widely regarded as being independent and impartial. However, like any other country, Ghana is not immune to electoral challenges.

The deployment of observer missions to the country must be seen as a positive intervention that will help mitigate any potential risks and ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner.

The ECOWAS observer mission will be working closely with other stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission, the National Peace Council and civil society organisations. The mission will also be engaging with political parties, traditional leaders and other key stakeholders to promote a peaceful and transparent electoral process.

The deployment of ECOWAS observers is also a demonstration of the organisation's commitment to promoting regional integration and cooperation. By working together to promote democracy and stability, ECOWAS member states can help to create a more peaceful and prosperous region.

The observer mission is an important step in this direction, and it demonstrates the organisation's commitment to promoting the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

So far, the Ghana Police Service has exhibited a very high level of professionalism in the discharge of its duties, especially providing security to election related activities, including the by elections.

We also call on the other security agencies to be vigilant and ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.

The security agencies must be professional and impartial in their conduct, and avoid any actions that could be perceived as biased or partisan.

Furthermore, we urge the political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves in a peaceful and law-abiding manner. The election is a contest of ideas, not a do-or-die affair.

We must all work together to promote a peaceful and transparent electoral process, and to ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the outcome of the polls.

Indeed, all Ghanaians must work together to promote a peaceful and credible election, and to ensure that our will reflects in the outcome of the polls.