Successful elections: Responsibility of all

Between October 15 and 19, 2024, the Electoral Commission (EC) mounted the Provisional Voters Register online to allow voters to check their details.

The online exhibition was to enable voters to check their names, polling stations and other details for the necessary correction in the event of any errors.

This was in fulfilment of the EC's assurance to the political parties and other stakeholders at the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting of October 1, 2024, that the elections management body would exhibit the revised register online.

It followed concerns by the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), about discrepancies in the register, including alleged wrongful transfer of voters from one region to another.

It is noteworthy that so far there have been no complaints about the register since the online exhibition ended. The Daily Graphic believes that the political parties and other stakeholders now have some confidence in the register.

We are hopeful that by Friday, November 1, when the final voters register is presented to the political parties, any discrepancies found during the online exhibition process would have been corrected.

This is critical to sustain the confidence of the public, particularly the political parties in the electoral process and the credibility of the elections after the printing of both the notice of polls and the ballot papers.

The EC needs the support and cooperation of the public to successfully deliver free and fair polls on December 7. It is, therefore, the duty of society to help chart the path to an electoral process that would emphasise the overall commitment of the country to democracy.

No one needs to be reminded of their individual and collective duties towards a successful process. It is incumbent on all to put their shoulder to the wheel to help smoothen the rough edges and do their bit to deliver a credible electoral process.

This call obviously requires the EC, political parties, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, the National Peace Council and other identifiable state and non-state agencies to put their best foot forward in their different roles in making sure that the country succeeds.

It means that it must take the conscious effort of everyone to strengthen the process to engender the necessary confidence needed to negotiate this curve in the country’s democratic trajectory.

This effort must not be about devising ways to undermine the process. It must, instead, be about supporting the system to thrive beyond an election.

We are also minded to add that criticism of the system must help to improve the process for our collective good. It is, therefore, imperative that any discovery of discrepancies in the system must not be projected as necessarily an effort to tamper with the process to the advantage or disadvantage of any side.

It is our fervent hope that all participants in the country's democratic path will be mindful of their individual duties towards achieving successful elections on December 7 and sustaining the country’s credentials as a stable nation.

There are tangible benefits in securing a stable democratic system. In fact, this directly impacts the economic fortunes of a country, particularly in terms of the potential of foreign direct investment in an economy.

That is why this process cannot be glossed over as a mere routine occurrence. It should  be treated with utmost importance.

The Daily Graphic commends the EC for a good job so far. We believe the inclusion of the media in IPAC meetings will help with the dissemination of accurate information to the public.

The Daily Graphic urges the media not to encourage political colourisation in the reportage of IPAC meetings, but to be professional and be the neutralising agent in the entire process.

We also urge the EC not to lower its guard but to work harder to reassure the political parties and the populace that it is up to its task of delivering free, fair and credible elections.

We want a situation where at the end of the declaration of the results, all parties will accept the outcome so that we can pat ourselves on the back while the world also applauds us as a beacon of democracy.