The track record of the Electoral Commission under Jean Mensa raises doubts about her recent statement regarding putting structures in place for conducting free and fair elections in December. As of now, the results of the 2020 election have yet to be gazetted, while the outcome itself was marred by multiple uncertified declarations of results, rendering it highly contentious.
Dr. Rashid Tanko-Computer, Deputy Director of Election in charge of IT, expressed these concerns on Ahotor 92.3 FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra. He emphasized that elections are a process, not merely a project of declaring results, highlighting numerous electoral flaws that need addressing. These include compiling a credible voter register to avoid disenfranchisement, an issue highlighted during the 2023 district-level assembly elections where approximately 26 thousand voters couldn’t find their names in the register.
Meanwhile, Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, appealed to political parties to accept the outcome of the upcoming 2024 general elections. During the presentation of the Democracy Cup to the EC by Parliament’s leadership in Accra, she assured transparency in all electoral processes.
“As referees of the elections, we are committed to transparency, fairness, and collaboration with political parties and citizens,” she stated. “We urge all contestants to accept the election outcomes, acknowledging that there will inevitably be winners and losers.”
In a separate development, Fitch Solutions, an international research and data firm, predicted a victory for John Mahama and the NDC in the December 2024 elections. Citing economic factors and polling data, they suggested that issues such as job creation and economic management would heavily influence voter decisions, potentially disadvantaging the ruling NPP.
Mike Kruiniger, Associate Director of Country Risk at Fitch Solutions, explained, “Recent surveys consistently favor the NDC, with 54% of respondents indicating support for the former president.” He added, “Given the economic challenges of recent years, issues like job creation and economic management may undermine support for the NPP.”
Story By: Alexander Kukah
