TIG Post

Tag: IDEG

  • Public’s lack of confidence in EC is worrying – IDEG

    Public’s lack of confidence in EC is worrying – IDEG

    The Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr. Emmanuel O. Akwetey,has raised alarms about Ghana’s inadequate measures to prevent electoral violence and foster public confidence ahead of the December elections.

    At the IDEG Ghana Speaks High-Level Forum in Accra on Thursday, October 10, themed “Advancing Peace, Unity, and National Cohesion in Ghana,” Dr. Akwetey underscored that essential actions for a peaceful electoral process have not been fully realized.

    He pointed out that the Electoral Commission (EC) frequently faces criticism related to these concerns, primarily tied to how its officials are selected.

    Dr. Akwetey noted that the appointment process for electoral officials often erodes public trust in the EC, potentially exacerbating tensions during elections.

    He urged for increased transparency and confidence in the electoral system, asserting that credible and peaceful elections are crucial for preserving national unity and cohesion.

    “We haven’t done what we should do to deter violence. We haven’t done what we should do to increase our confidence in a peaceful, credible, and fair election, and when we look at it all, we have tended to put all the blame or expectation or whatever on the EC. That they will be able to do some kind of thing that will undermine confidence in the register.”

    “…The fact of the matter is that the reforms needed, and the institutions required to manage more challenging elections haven’t occurred, and we don’t trust our chairmen of the EC because of the way they are.

    “NDC comes, they appoint; NPP comes, they appoint, and now that alone creates suspicion that people put in charge cannot be credible enough to do the work professionally,” he stated.

  • We have no plans of staging a coup – GAF to IDEG boss

    We have no plans of staging a coup – GAF to IDEG boss

    The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has responded to comments made by Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), who suggested that there is a risk of a military coup in Ghana if the upcoming general election turns violent.

    In a press release shared with GhanaWeb, the military dismissed the claim that its involvement in supporting the Ghana Police Service during potential election-related violence would constitute a coup.

    GAF clarified that it would only assist the police if requested, and this action does not signify any intention to overthrow the government.

    “Dr Akwetey is alleged to have said GAF has threatened to take over control of the country if elections in the country turn out violent beyond the control of the Ghana Police Service at press conferences held in 2016 and 2020. We wish to draw the attention of the public that GAF will only support the Ghana Police when the latter requests assistance and that does not constitute an overthrow of a government,” part of the release which was issued by Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie, the Director General Public Relations of GFA on August 23, 2024, reads.

    The GAF also refuted the assertion that it has ever publicly announced intentions to take control of the country in the event of election-related violence.

    The military reaffirmed its stance against any coup attempt and its commitment to preventing unlawful power grabs by any individual, group, or organization, either independently or in collaboration with any security agency.

    GAF urged the public to refrain from using its name to escalate political tensions as the December 2024 elections approach.

    “GAF, like all peace-loving institutions and individuals, is committed to ensuring peaceful elections in December 2024. We urge all institutions and groups to avoid associating GAF with actions that could heighten political tensions,” the release concluded.

    In an interview with JoyNews on August 21, 2024, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey expressed concerns that the Ghana Armed Forces had previously threatened to intervene if election violence exceeded the control of the Ghana Police Service.

    He warned that such threats could indicate a potential end to civilian rule and a military takeover.

    “The Armed Forces of Ghana since 2016 have clearly and openly in press conferences threatened that if violence breaks out in the country over election disputes or whatever and the police cannot deal with it and it’s escalating or threatening, they will step in. And they said if they did so, it would be to protect the territorial integrity, our peace, and our national unity.

    “That would be a coup because the police cannot deal with nationwide violence. They are not equipped for that. It’s not about parliamentary elections, it’s about presidential elections because the president is elected throughout the country. And they have said that a second time in 2020 and probably even the third time they’ve even started talking about it so early,” he said.

    The IDEG boss added, “Read the papers, and you will see the threat is real in a sub-region where there is a drift towards the military or the return of military governments. And ECOWAS is facing some challenges in dealing with these issues.”

  • GAF has warned to step in if election violence overwhelms police – IDEG boss

    GAF has warned to step in if election violence overwhelms police – IDEG boss

    Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, has warned that Ghana’s democracy is at risk if the concerns about potential election violence are not addressed.

    In an interview with JoyNews on August 21, 2024, Dr. Akwetey highlighted that the Ghana Armed Forces has previously issued warnings about intervening if the elections become too violent for the Ghana Police Service to manage.

    He emphasized that these threats from the military could signal a serious threat to civil rule and the potential for a military takeover.

    “The Armed Forces of Ghana since 2016 have clearly and openly in press conferences threatened that if violence breaks out in the country over election disputes or whatever and the police cannot deal with it and it’s escalating or threatening, they will step in. And they said if they did so, it would be to protect the territorial integrity, our peace, and our national unity.

    “That would be a coup because the police cannot deal with nationwide violence. They are not equipped for that. It’s not about parliamentary elections, it’s about presidential elections because the president is elected throughout the country. And they have said that a second time in 2020 and probably even the third time they’ve even started talking about it so early,” he said.

    The IDEG boss added, “Read the papers, and you will see the threat is real in a sub-region where there is a drift towards the military or the return of military governments. And ECOWAS is facing some challenges in dealing with these issues.”

  • Don’t declare 2024 election results without publishing results – IDEG to EC

    Don’t declare 2024 election results without publishing results – IDEG to EC

    The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure transparency in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections by publishing the results from all polling stations before announcing the final outcomes.

    In recent years, Ghana’s presidential elections have faced legal challenges at the Supreme Court, with accusations of flawed processes at polling stations.

    The Electoral Commission also faced criticism for issuing two different declarations of the 2020 election results due to discrepancies in result tallying.

    IDEG views such incidents as potential threats to the stability of Ghana’s democracy and suggests that making polling station results publicly available on the EC’s website could prevent similar issues.

    Kwesi Jonah, a Senior Research Fellow at IDEG, emphasized the importance of these measures, noting that while Ghana’s democracy is considered the sixth most stable in Africa, there is still room for improvement.

    “We know that there are certain weaknesses, certain lapses in our democracy and some of these weaknesses relate to the electoral process.

    “The European Union which since 2012, has consistently observed elections in Ghana has always come out with certain recommendations to help us to reform in order to fast track our democracy and not to backtrack it.”

    “One of them has to do with the publication of polling station by polling station results officially on the websites of the Electoral Commission,” he said.

    He emphasized that this approach would prevent political parties from claiming they lack access to the results or from suggesting that the election has been rigged.

    “There is no serious political party that can say that we don’t have the results, polling station by polling station results because our system of elections is such that at every polling station, there are two agents for the political party, one for the presidential candidate, one for the parliamentary candidate,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is implementing various reforms to address these issues. However, the commission’s Director of Training, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, emphasized that political parties must also be prepared to accept the results.

  • Results from polling stations must be published on your website – IDEG to EC

    Results from polling stations must be published on your website – IDEG to EC

    The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to publish the results from each polling station before announcing the final outcomes of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.

    IDEG’s call follows recent electoral disputes in Ghana’s Supreme Court, which have centered on allegations of procedural faults at polling stations.

    The Electoral Commission also faced criticism in 2020 for declaring election results twice due to discrepancies in tallying.

    To prevent similar issues and strengthen the integrity of the electoral process, IDEG recommends that the EC post all polling station results on its website.

    Senior Research Fellow Kwesi Jonah emphasized that although Ghana ranks as the sixth most stable democracy in Africa, improving electoral transparency is essential.

    “We know that there are certain weaknesses, certain lapses in our democracy and some of these weaknesses relate to the electoral process.

    “The European Union which since 2012, has consistently observed elections in Ghana has always come out with certain recommendations to help us to reform in order to fast track our democracy and not to backtrack it.”

    “There are clear weaknesses in our electoral process that need addressing,” Jonah said. “The European Union has provided ongoing recommendations to enhance our democracy. A critical recommendation is to publish results from every polling station online.”

    “One of them has to do with the publication of polling station by polling station results officially on the websites of the Electoral Commission,” he said.

    Mr Jonah argued that this measure would counter claims of election rigging and provide transparency, noting that political parties have representatives at every polling station and should thus have access to the results.

    “There is no serious political party that can say that we don’t have the results, polling station by polling station results because our system of elections is such that at every polling station, there are two agents for the political party, one for the presidential candidate, one for the parliamentary candidate,” he said.

    In response, the Electoral Commission has announced plans for various reforms.

    However, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, the Commission’s Director of Training, highlighted the need for political parties to accept the results once they are declared.

  • Go to court if you disagree with election results IDEG, CFI to political parties

    The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) have asked political parties that disagree with the results of the just-ended elections, as announced by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa to go to court to resolve the issues.

    IDEG and CFI said this is the best approach to resolving any election-related dispute.

    The comments come after the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said he will not accept the results of the elections because in his view, the results were manipulated in favour of Akufo-Addo by the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa.

    Addressing the nation on Thursday December 11, the presidential candidate of the NDC said “The facts and figures on the pink sheets available to us indicate that numerous steps have been taken to manipulate the elections in favour of the incumbent.

    “This calls into question the credibility of one of our most important institutional pillars of democracy, the Electoral Commission. It is now obvious to many objective minds that the Commission and its chairperson have been used to manipulate results from the various constituencies and in that process seek to subvert the sovereign will of the Ghana people.”

    He added “Since the inception of the Fourth Republic, final election results have always been declared within a 72hour period to allow for thorough and diligence collation.

    “Surprisingly, this Electoral Commission chairperson announced quite suspiciously for reasons known to her a hurried 24hour deadline which as we all know could not and would not be met.

    “The Chairperson of the EC in less than 24 hours after her declaration has admitted that she made unacceptable errors which go to the heart of the entire electoral process and cast deep doubt on the credibility of the announced outcome.”

    But a joint statement issued by IDEG and CFI on Friday December 11 said “wish to commend Ghanaians for the high turnout and the orderly manner in which the electorate exercised their franchise on December 7. We further wish to commend the Electoral Commission and the political parties for their role in delivering relatively peaceful election. We however observed with growing concern that both the presidential and parliamentary elections results have stoked partisan controversy with both sides claiming victory.

    “The disputed results have raised questions about the credibility of the outcome of the elections which can only be resolved in a court of law. Accordingly, we urge the aggrieved parties to resort to the court system to deal with the disputed aspects of the results instead of resorting to violence. The public has the right to know the truth about any discrepancies relating to the results because this election was the best opportunity for the electorate to exercise their sovereign right.

    “The courts have the mandate and the tools to investigate, review and resolve any election related disputes based on the evidence provided in a transparent manner. Moreover, the supreme court is not only an avenue for peaceful resolution of election conflicts, but also clarifying electoral rules and regulations in order to improve electoral standards and advance critical reforms in the electoral system as demonstrated by the supreme court of Ghana in 2013.

    “In the meantime, we appeal to the leaders and supporters of the two parties, to conduct themselves peacefully, mindful of the commitments their presidential candidates made by signing the Presidential Election Peace Pact on Thursday 4th December 2020 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra. In this pact, the leaders pledged: That we hereby commit ourselves and our supporters to peaceful elections in the December 2020 general elections; That we undertake to accept the results of the said elections; That we undertake to restrain our supporters from resorting to violence in the aftermath of the said elections; and That we are committed to the Judicial resolution of all election disputes.”

    “Furthermore, we appeal to the National Chief Imam, the National Peace Council and the National House of Chiefs to engage and ensure that the Electoral Commission acts expeditiously on all complaints and encourage the parties to go to court as they have committed in the peace pact agreement.”

    “Finally, we appeal to all Ghanaians including our vibrant youth to honor the memory of the founding father of the Fourth Republic, former President Jerry John Rawlings, by maintaining the peace, stability and security of the nation. Going forward, we entreat that collectively as a nation, we renounce violence as an option for resolving electoral disputes.”

    Source: 3 News

  • The money is not there – CSOs cry over lack of funds to monitor Dec polls

    Civil Society Organisations (CSOS) are worried that they may not be able to monitor the upcoming elections on December 7 due to lack of funds.

    Director of Programs at Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Kwesi Jonah, said the coronavirus pandemic can be blamed for the lack of funds and financial difficulties that the CSOs are facing.

    CSOs rely on donor funds to be able to play their democratic roles of monitoring the elections to ensure the process is free, fair, transparent, and peaceful.

    But the IDEG boss says the coronavirus is blame for the lack of dwindling donor support.

    He made the comment at a forum on Thursday, October 15, 2020, organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on Civil Society Organisations and Democratic Elections in Ghana.

    “We are still going to set up situation rooms in all 16 regions, but we are going to set it up very late. Ideally, we set up the situation rooms about three months to the election to follow up on the campaign. This time around, I think we are going to set it up late,” he said.

    He added: “If you ask me the reason, it is very simple; the [money] is not there.”

    He, however, said CSOs like his will do their best despite the challenges.

    At the forum, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, stressed the need for CSOs to step up advocacy to eliminate fear and calm tensions in the country ahead of the general election in December.

    He warned of the tendency of elections to destabilise the country, hence the need for better voter education.

    “Your advocacy must also go to eliminate violence and diminish the fear and panic that is about saturating the system,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com