In a bid to ensure transparency and fairness in the ongoing 2024 general elections, the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana and representatives of political parties in the Damongo Constituency have reached a formal agreement on how to proceed with the collation and declaration of results.
The agreement, signed by the EC and representatives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Convention People’s Party (CPP), outlines a collaborative process aimed at resolving any disputes or delays in the collation of votes.
Speaking at the signing, John S.B. Akakpo, Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, explained, “This agreement is a critical step in ensuring a smooth and transparent process for declaring the results.
“All parties have committed to adhering to the outlined procedures to maintain peace and trust in the electoral system.”
The agreement stipulates the following steps:
- Assembly of Results: All statements of polls from both parliamentary and presidential elections will be assembled.
- Collation Process: The results will be collated collaboratively by the EC and the political parties to avoid any miscommunication.
- Declaration of Winners: The winner of the parliamentary election will be announced, along with a summary of the presidential results.
- Resolution of Disputes: If challenges arise and not all polling station results can be compiled, the matter will be referred to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission for a final decision.
Salifu Be-Awuribe, Regional Secretary of the NDC, voiced his support for the agreement, saying, “This is the way forward. We believe in the transparency of this process and trust that the EC will handle the collation fairly. Our commitment is to ensure peace in the constituency.”
Mohammed Issah, Regional Secretary of the NPP, echoed similar sentiments. “Collaboration is key. While the elections have been competitive, we are determined to follow due process and respect the decisions made under this agreement,” he stated.
The agreement was also endorsed by Noruwah Hafizina, Regional Secretary of the CPP, who remarked, “This is a positive step toward strengthening our democracy. We commend the EC for bringing all stakeholders to the table.”
