AEI makes recommendations to EC, security agencies, and others

African Electoral Institute (AEI) has made several recommendations to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC), security agencies, and other stakeholders in Ghana’s electoral process.

According to the African Electoral Institute, they have enumerated some challenges that bedevilled the Limited voter registration exercise including the observations.

AEI has hereby made the following suggestions or recommendations for the perusal and possible adoption by the Security agencies, the Electoral Commission,  political parties, and all stakeholders going into any future electoral process especially the coming general elections on 7th December 2024.

Below are the full recommendations.

SUGGESTIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS

The African Electoral Institute haven enumerated to you some of the challenges that bedevilled the Limited voter registration exercise including the observations mentioned above, African ElectoralInstitute(AEI) hereby make the following suggestions or recommendations for the perusal and possible adoption by the Security agencies,  the Electoral Commission,  political parties and all stakeholders going into any future electoral process especially the coming general elections on 7th December 2024.

1. That the Electoral Commission before dispatching their electoral machines or equipment unto the field should first of all make sure that they are in good working conditions by testing them.
2. That the Electoral Commission should ensure that adequate arrangements are put in place to make sure that the process starts on time without delay.
3. That the Electoral Commission should ensure that all electoral materials arrive at the voting centres as early as possible to avoid any anxiety or suspicions from the public.
4. That the African Electoral Institute further recommends that, the Electoral Commission trains all its officials taking part or deployed for the electoral exercise especially on the code of conduct or ethics of the commission to guide them in their work.
5. AEI, further recommends that the Security Services or Agencies provide enough personnel to police the process and to behave professionally to avoid any suspicion of bias by anyone or a political party
6. That the Security personnel should endeavour to make sure that all trouble makers at the election centres are quickly arrested and whisked away to prevent a disruption of the process.
7. That the authorities in charge of security should put in place stand-by or reinforcement teams in all the constituencies to be called upon in case of any chaos or disturbances at any centre.
8. The African Electoral Institute further suggests that the security agencies should consider all voting centres as hot spots and do the needful.
9. The AEI also recommends that the Electoral Commission should involve the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in any process that concerns them for greater transparency and fairness.
10. The African Electoral Institute wish to urge or encourage all Political Parties to take a keen interest in all activities of the Electoral Commission and not leave it to the two major political Parties, the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress (NPP and NDC) by participating fully.
11. That all political parties representatives should endeavour to be at the voting centres where they have been assigned or accredited as early as possible even before the arrival of the electoral officials and voting materials.
12. The Police should demarcate some areas of the voting centre as a no-go area for non-voters except people with accreditation and ensure it is strictly observed as such.
13. The African Electoral Institute further suggests that the Electoral Commission puts in adequate measures to feed their officials from their own source to prevent a situation of anyone giving them food that may be misconstrued or misinterpreted.
14. The AEI also recommends that the state resource the National Commission on Civic Education adequately to enable them to carry out their duties of educating the public on their civic rights and responsibilities.
15. The African Electoral Institute wish to recommend or urge the Police and the Electoral Commission to enforce all the electoral laws to the letter and prosecute where necessary to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to indulge in any electoral malpractice.

Source: Today.com.gh