The National Peace Council says it is taking steps to ensure a smooth and transparent electoral process ahead of the 2024 general elections. Engaging all stakeholders involved in the electoral process, the Council has proposed major reforms aimed at enhancing the integrity and efficiency of Ghana’s electoral system.
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One of the key reforms put forward by the Council focuses on altering the procedure for declaring election results at the constituency level. Currently, election results are declared both at the polling station and the constituency levels. However, the Chairman of the Council, Rev Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, highlighted the challenges associated with this process.
Rev Dr Adu-Gyamfi also stated that once results are declared at the constituency level, the Electoral Commission (EC) is mandated to gazette the results within a specific timeframe. However, the actual gazetting process is carried out by the Ghana Publishing Corporation. This bureaucratic delay often results in prolonged legal disputes, hindering the timely resolution of electoral issues.
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To address this issue, the National Peace Council proposes empowering returning officers to declare election results at the constituency level as final. This reform aims to expedite the resolution of electoral disputes and ensure that the electoral process remains transparent and credible.
Furthermore, the Council has collaborated with the Judiciary to streamline the handling of constituency election petition cases. Measures have been put in place to prevent these cases from languishing in court, ensuring swift and efficient resolution.
Rev Dr Adu-Gyamfi also highlighted another crucial reform which is ensuring that no judge presides over more than one parliamentary adjudication case at a time. This measure aims to allocate sufficient time and resources to each case, preventing delays and ensuring fair and expeditious proceedings.
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