Head of ECOWAS Observer Mission to Ghana tasks African countries on conduct of elections

The Head of the ECOWAS Observer Mission, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has called on African countries to emulate Ghana’s example of conducting free, fair and transparent elections.

She made the call at a post-election meeting of Heads of International Election Observation Missions (IEOMs) to Ghana’s 2020 elections on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 in Accra, Ghana. The meeting was for the sharing of key findings on Election Day.

“It is pleasing to know that Ghana has lived up to its expectations in the conduct of elections in a free, fair and credible manner”, Madam Johnson Sirleaf said.

In a statement issued today [Wednesday, December 9, 2020], Madam Sirleaf said a peaceful transfer of power in Ghana is a great opportunity for not just Ghana but for the whole of Africa.

She therefore called on African countries to emulate Ghana, which is a model for Africa, so as to instill the much-needed confidence in the electoral systems in their various countries.

Heads of election observer missions in attendance at the meeting included the African Union Election Observation Mission, the Commonwealth Observer Group, the National Democratic Observation Mission (NDI) which oversees the activities of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) as well as the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).

Also at the meeting was a United Nations (UN) delegation led by the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

The session was a follow-up to their meeting held on Sunday, 6th December 2020 in Accra to ascertain Ghana’s resolve to maintain peace during and after its general elections on 7th December, 2020.

At that meeting, the ECOWAS Chief Observer indicated that her mission had identified some challenges that needed to be addressed.

She said there was a potential of misinformation through the rapid circulation of fake information, especially on social media.

“It is important that we ensure that factual information are given,” Madam Johnson Sirleaf stated.