Answer to Question #162918 in English for Abdulai Ibrahim

Question

Write an essay with a well-defined structure on the following topic.”Suggest three measures that should be put in place to ensure peaceful election in Ghana”

a.Your essay should be between 450-500 words

Answer 1

Just like in most of the African countries, Ghana encountered violence which caused immense destructions of property and loss of lives. Consequently, the Electoral Commission has tried to ensure that there is peace after every election by undertaking various steps. Subsequently, the commission has tried to liaise with Non-governmental organizations to monitor voting. The Non -governmental organizations create the task force which ensures the safety and availability of security at the polling stations. Additionally, the task force established by these organizations examines the electoral registrations and public sensitization campaigns. Consequently, this creates a transparent and peaceful election were the results given are not contested by any party or the individual.

Additionally, the Electoral commission NGOs and the civil society groups have undertaken the initiative to ensure that there are fairness and peace in the elections. The objectives of these groups include curbing any form of intimidation and violence during the campaign period and be in a position of achieving credibility and transparency.

Subsequently, the Electoral Commission of Ghana has also embarked on reviewing the voter’s registration roll by checking the backgrounds of the voters in the register, reviewing voting applicants, examining other documents submitted to the commission and eliminating names that no longer exist in the present voter’s registry. The Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) an NGO formed by influential Ghanaians have also contributed to the enhancement of peaceful elections by upgrading the electoral code of conduct which stipulates the regulations to hinder abuse of incumbency and providing national and regional enforcement groups. These regulations prohibit the party from non-inflammatory behaviour, provocative derogatory, banned defamation and insulting attacks. The Institute for Economic Affairs also establishes a regional board with jurisdiction to reprimand the errant members or the specific party. This has really improved the party conduct and the individual discipline during the elections and after elections.

In other words, the Electoral Commission in Ghana also liaised with special national election security force to strategize how to monitor the campaign period and the actual election day. In order to enhance transparency, the Electoral Commission in Ghana ensures that counting of the votes is carried out in the twenty thousand polling stations across the country. To be specific this reduces any inconvenience that may arise during transportation of ballots boxes to a central point of counting.

Conversely, apart from Electoral commission of Ghana being the main stakeholder in maintaining peaceful elections, there are other stakeholders such as Institute for Economic Affairs, Centre for Democratic Development, National Election Security Task Force which incorporated Ghanaian police and other services and International observers such as European Union and the Carter Centre and national observers such as CODEO.

In conclusion, the Electoral Commission of Ghana has worked together with the above

-mentioned agencies to enhance peaceful elections and tranquillity of the same in the transition of the powers