Strengthening our electoral management system

Since Ghana returned to democratic rule in 1993, one of the major challenges that has confronted the organisation of our elections is the confidence in our Electoral Commission (EC).

More often than not, it has always been the opposition parties accusing the EC of working hard to help the ruling party stay in power.

The situation has not changed even though we have changed power from a ruling party to an opposition party. We are also aware of the “all die be die” and “boot for boot” exchanges between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The level of trust in the EC worsened when a former chairperson, Charlotte Osei, was indicted and had to be removed from office. Then came the Jean Mensa-led EC, which has also received criticisms for allegedly working to keep the NPP in power.

The level of suspicion did not start now. We do recall Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan telling political parties that elections were won at the polling station and not at the EC headquarters, hence the need for parties to be vigilant.

But people’s suspicions about the EC’s operations are so rife that a governance expert, Professor Baffour Agyemang-Duah has called for a review of how persons are appointed to serve on the Electoral Commission. (Refer to front page of February 25, 2022 edition of the Daily Graphic).

According to him, instead of the President appointing the EC Commissioners, a 15-member ad hoc Elections Authority should be assigned that role. To him, that would give real meaning to the independence and autonomy of the EC. It would also give a security of tenure to the EC Commissioners because the processes of removal or otherwise would also be reviewed.

As it is now, there is always so much tension and anxiety associated with our general elections because all the parties, especially the two major political ones, often enter the contest with the suspicion of being short-changed.

The anxiety and tension that characterise our elections have often led security agencies to mount special operations at polling stations and key electoral offices to ward off any potential violence.

Many are of the view that to avoid elections leading to conflict, there is the need to engage in a holistic review of our electoral processes to ensure greater transparency at all levels.

But for us at the Daily Graphic, it is our conviction that reviewing the recruitment of the mode of appointment of the EC Commissioners will not necessarily be the solution to the challenges in our electoral system.

Rather we believe that we must all give the needed support to the Electoral Commission to enable the members to discharge their constitutional obligations satisfactorily.

Additionally, we must also demand greater accountability and transparency from their operations. It will require that the EC openly engages more with all stakeholders, particularly the political parties, in an open, frank and accountable manner to win their trust as well as that of the citizenry. In the electoral management process, trust is very essential and nothing must be made to compromise on that.

The country will be treading a dangerous path if we do not trust our state institutions and keep on asking for changes in leadership without addressing the structural and systemic challenges facing state institutions. Having come thus far in our democratic journey, the Daily Graphic believes that all Ghanaians must support our state institutions to perform the roles assigned them satisfactorily.

Indeed, there have been suggestions for the EC to be divided into two – a side that conducts the elections and the another that ensures competitive parties operate within the electoral laws including fulfilling their obligations to the state.

As Prof. Agyemang-Duah stated, the key threats to Ghana’s security remained elections and governance. To build confidence and trust in our democratic structures, we must from time to time do an honest analysis of the processes and how far they have served us. If it becomes necessary to review some of the processes to improve our governance systems, so be it.

For instance, many may not have thought that Ghana would ever have a hung Parliament. And in the event that a President has a minority group in Parliament, how should the governance systems flow especially when the Constitution provides that majority of ministers should be appointed from Parliament!

These are critical matters that need to be addressed and reviewed as far as our governance structures are concerned because they are issues that can threaten our internal security.

At least Prof. Agyemang-Duah has thrown a challenge to all of us but we need to be dispassionate and not limit the issue to the recruitment or appointment of EC Commissioners only.