The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has expressed disappointment over the challenges that marred the District Level Elections held nationwide on Tuesday, December 19, placing blame on the Electoral Commission (EC) for not meeting expectations.
CODEO highlighted issues such as the non-functioning of the Biometric Verification Device (BVD), delays in the distribution of voting items, and errors detected on the ballot papers leading to the postponement of voting in some centers.
In an interview with Citi News, Albert Arhin, the National Coordinator for CODEO, urged the Electoral Commission to learn from these challenges. He emphasized the need for proactive management to address issues like ballot errors promptly.
“That is managerial. Because we have been having some of these experiences, we should have taken a cue and learned our lessons so we don't repeat these mistakes. But whether we like it or not, the blame still lies on the doorstep of the EC because they are the ones running this show,” said Arhin.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) also criticized the EC, with Mustapha Gbande, Deputy Secretary of the NDC, asserting that someone must take full responsibility for the election issues beyond just apologizing.
“Election management is not cast in stone. It is about the experience, it is about consultation, it is about dealing with people who know the work better than you to help you build a solid, transparent, dependable, credible system that will give a free and fair election to the people of Ghana. These mistakes are avoidable,” stated Gbande.
He further emphasized the need for accountability, pointing out that the EC had ignored warnings and subsequently “messed up an election system.” The comments underscore a call for improved management and accountability within the Electoral Commission to ensure the integrity of future elections in Ghana.
