Ahead of May Day Celebration: Organised
Labour, TUC Hosts Forum to Promote Peaceful
Elections in December
Organised
Labour, together with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has organised an
all-inclusive forum for all member unions ahead of this year’s Workers’ Day to
be observed on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
Under
the theme: “Election 2024: The Role of Workers and Social Partners in Securing
Peaceful Elections for National Development”, the program aims at ensuring the
conduct of a violent-free elections in the country come December 7 this year.
The
umbrella bodies of both labour and trade unions; Organised Labour and the Trade
Union Congress (TUC) held the event to sensitize and equip member unions with
the requisite knowledge as agents of peace in ensuring a peaceful, free and
fair elections in December this year.
On
behalf of the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensah,
the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Samuel Tettey says the electoral
body is fully prepared for the steadily approaching national event and urged
electorates to do the needful in order not to be disenfranchised on voting day.
He
urged all eligible voters to have their names on the Voters’ Register.
“Voter
registration is often the most complicated and expensive component of the
electoral process and involves identifying which citizens are eligible to vote
and produces a list of voters for use on polling day. It is often a congested
process and if flawed may compromise the entire process.”
He
said the Voters Register plays a very important role in securing a very
successful election, adding that this year’s update of the Voters Register will
commence on the 7th to the 27th of May to enrol new voters who turned 18 years
after last election season and those who could not register for some reasons.
In
the absence of its Chairman, Rev. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, the National Peace
Council, through its Executive Secretary, Mr. George Amoh says it is working
assiduously to ensure peace prevails before, during and after the elections.
“The
National Peace Council, once again with our partners we have been able to
organize peace-match for the presidential candidates. Already we have sent a
signal to them and we have started the processes for organizing the
peace-match.”
He
said they have identified key electoral areas including Odododiodio and
Ashaiman where they will bring the candidates together for them to commit to a
peaceful election.
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The
Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Ghana Police Service, Dr. George Akufo
Dampare also highlighted measures put in place to ensure a peaceful and
violent-free elections before, after and on the day of voting.
According
to him, election will henceforth be seen as a process where the subsequent one
takes off from where the last one ended to help them map out election security
into normal security operations. This, he said led to the establishment of a
Police Election Security Directorate which operates 24 hours similar to the
usual police station to handle election related issues before, during and after
the elections.
He
said as part of their pre-election duties, the police help all political
parties to undertake their internal elections. In addition, they also provide
security during the Assembly and By-elections across the country.
“Beyond
this, we look at all the activities of the Electoral Commission, every step of
the way and provide security for them.
We
also have security engagement to help them move their electoral logistics
across the country, keep these electoral logistics under lock and key to
provide sufficient security and make sure that nothing untoward happens, and
where something untoward happens too we act and we make sure that we get the
culprits and deal with them in accordance with the law”, he stated.
The
IGP also assured Ghanaians of a peaceful voter registration exercise on May 7
ahead of the main elections. He said the police will stop at nothing to ensure
that Ghana continues to be at peace with herself.
“Beyond
this, during the same pre-election period, we are also working to ensure that
the traditional security responsibilities that we have of ensuring that armed
robbers are perpetually in comma; of ensuring that there is security on our
roads; of ensuring that there is safety in our communities, and also making
sure that the police continue to improve their friendship with the public is
not left aside or not put aside because of elections”, he added.
Dr.
Dampare further pledged to prevent any activity that may bring confusion such
as political parties clashing over the use of a particular platform or venue
for their campaign events.
He
concluded by pledging maximum security during and after the elections with much
focus on Election Day (December 7) especially during vote counting and result
collation at the various collation centers to ensure everyone is content with the
election results.
He
therefore urged the general public especially eligible voters to avoid making
contemptuous comments, be measured in their expectations, and not to take
entrenched position on winning the elections at all cost.
As
Ghana’s ninth democratic elections in the Fourth Republic beacons, stakeholders
are at the forefront mapping out effective strategies to ensure the country
experiences one of the best, most peaceful, smooth, and free and fair elections
in her democratic history.
By
Maxwell Woyram Tsigbe