Election 2024: WACSI urges transparency, neutrality to rebuild public confidence in EC

The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), a civil society organisation (CSO), has said the transparent management of the electoral process, particularly in the timely and secure transmission of the 2024 election results, is essential to rebuild public confidence in the Electoral Commission (EC).

It said the outcome of Saturday’s presidential and parliamentary elections would not only determine the future leadership of the nation but also reinforce Ghana’s standing as a beacon of democracy in Africa. 

The organisation called on political parties, security agencies and Election Monitoring Bodies (EMBs) to work together to foster an electoral environment that upholds global democratic principles. 

Elections

A statement issued by WASCI ahead of the polls on Saturday to ensure the integrity of the election also called for neutrality and preparedness from security agencies, along with community-driven peace initiatives to prevent violence and maintain law and order on the election day.

It further called for a concerted effort to engage marginalised groups, including women, the youth and persons with disabilities, through targeted voter education and supportive policies to ensure inclusiveness in the electoral process.

On the issue of combatting disinformation which has been identified as one of the key threats going into this year’s general election, WACSI said real-time fact-checking initiatives and holding media outlets accountable for spreading false narratives were crucial in protecting the credibility of the election process.

WACSI said with just a few days remaining until Ghana’s pivotal 2024 general election, the country stood at a defining juncture in its democratic journey.

It said a decisive action was urgently required to tackle critical threats to the integrity of the elections and ensure a transparent, inclusive and credible electoral process.

Policy brief

In its latest policy brief issued following the West Africa Policy Dialogue Series (WACPoDiS) convened on October 9, 2024, in Accra, WACSI said stakeholders at the forum called for a decisive action to tackle critical threats to the integrity of the upcoming elections and ensure a transparent, inclusive and credible electoral process.

It said the event, themed: “Towards Democratic Consolidation: Strengthening Inclusion, Transparency and Credibility in the 2024 Ghanaian Election,” brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives from the EC, CSOs, United Nations representatives, the security sector, diplomatic missions and policymakers.

The policy brief also outlined several other critical threats to the election’s credibility, including political vigilantism, the underrepresentation of marginalised groups such as women, the youth and persons with disabilities, and the unchecked spread of false information.