The Electoral Commission (EC) says it has indentified 81 out of the 275 constituencies in the country as potential hot spots for violence during the December elections.
The EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, who disclosed this during a national colloquium on the security of the upcoming elections, organized by the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) with support from an Accra-based radio station, Joy FM, said the discovery had made security an integral part of the electoral process.
She said factors such as proliferation of illicit arms and the existence of numerous land and chieftaincy disputes might trigger violence and pose a threat to this year’s polls.
Mrs. Osei said the EC needs a concerted effort from all political actors and state institutions to ensure that the elections are peacefully.
According to the EC Chair, even though ordinarily the process of choosing leaders should be non-violent, “past experiences have taught us that we need to have a robust electoral security system to ensure the security of the electoral equipment, the voters who take part in the elections, the election officials and increasingly in Ghana, it is almost like we have to prevent war every election year.”
Caution to political parties
Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), admonished political leaders to exercise restraint when communicating through the media.
Dr. Chambas said the election campaign should be an opportunity to debate issues and perspectives instead of trading invectives and using hate speech or language likely to foment bitterness, rancour or violence.
“I urge the political parties to desist from attacks on personalities and focus on relevant issues affecting the lives of Ghanaians,” he said.
He made the call in a keynote address he delivered on the topic, ‘Reducing the incidence of violence in election 2016 and beyond.’
Dr. Chambas noted that Ghana’s track record of organizing six successful elections and two significant political transitions make the country a strong democratic country.
He said it is therefore important for all stakeholders to assume their roles in ensuring that election violence, which can manifest itself in the form of scuffles kidnapping, assassination, defamation and brawls, is prevented before, during and after the polls.
“Instead of violence, political parties should resort to constitutional and legal justice channels to seek redress for any grievances.”
He urged them to publicly declare their firm commitment to abiding by the verdict of the polls.
He also advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to fine-tune the electoral process, particularly through building public trust and confidence, while calling on the judiciary and the security agencies to ensure high-level of professionalism and neutrality.
“We need to encourage an inclusive, consultative and participative approach that fosters joint responsibility for the process, facilitating a level-playing field for participants, reinforcing transparency in all aspects of the process and guaranteeing a dispute resolution process that is fair, expeditious and accessible,” he said.
Media’s role
Dr. Chambas also admonished the media to shun the use of incendiary language, as the general elections draw closer.
He indicated that the actions of the media, particularly during this election period, are important because the media’s role in the success of the country’s electoral process cannot be over-emphasized.
He did not hesitate to call on civil society and the judiciary to denounce any attempt by the media to incite violence rather than present facts and stimulate discussions.
“This is not meant to muzzle freedom of speech and expression, not at all; but to be alert and aware that during this short and tense political contest, messages can easily be misunderstood as incitement for mob action and violence in the streets that could tarnish the otherwise good image of Ghana,” he added.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri