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“We will not let you down,” EC tells Ghanaians

The Electoral Commission says it has opened up all its processes to the public and removed the cloak of secrecy shrouding its activities and operations

Ghana News Agency (Accra) – Jean Mensa, the chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), says the Commission is ready to deliver free, fair and peaceful elections in December.

“We will not let you down,” she said. “We pledge that we will conduct ourselves in truth, with integrity, and organise free, fair, credible, transparent and peaceful elections on 7 December 2020.”

The EC chairperson said this as she announced the list of presidential candidates who had met the requirements to stand in the 7 December election.

“We will not let you down. On your part, we charge you to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana and her institutions. So help us, God.”

Mensa called on all political parties and stakeholders with genuine concerns to raise them with the Commission, saying: “Once we are informed about the weaknesses and gaps in the process outlined, we will take immediate steps to address and close all the gaps and report same to the public in a transparent, open and accountable manner.

“Until then, we entreat the naysayers to cease their onslaught of trying to discredit a thorough and credible electoral process, and a commission which has been open and transparent in all its dealings.”

No more secrets

Mensa said that if not for anything at all, the current Commission has opened up all its processes to the public and removed the cloak of secrecy that shrouded its activities and operations.

“We have laid bare our processes for all to see. Today, the number of persons who registered by district, region, as well as sex and age, is known to any interested citizen. It is no longer a secret,” Mensa said.

She said challenges encountered during the exhibition exercise were discussed openly by the Commission, solved in a timely manner and reported promptly.

The EC chairperson said constituencies such as Ashaiman, which had some gaps in their data, had all their problems resolved.

“Our doors remain open. We assure our stakeholders that we are receptive to constructive feedback and advice. Indeed, the feedback and advice from well-meaning Ghanaians have helped enrich our work and enabled us to serve you better.”

She wished all the candidates the best of luck in their campaigning to ascend to the high office of the presidency. “We urge you all to engage in a decent campaign – a campaign based on policies and programmes that will lead to the betterment of our society,” she said.

Transparent process

“As referees, our role is to arrange and organise orderly, fair, transparent, peaceful and credible elections. We assure you that we are working to do just that.

“We do not have the power to determine who wins the elections. It is not in our power or control to determine the outcome of the election … that power lies with the good people of the country,” Mensa said.

“The citizens alone can determine who should lead them, not the EC. It is the candidate who is given the power to lead this country by the citizens, who will be declared President of the Republic of Ghana by the Electoral Commission, come 7 December 2020.”

She said the Commission has institutionalised a fair, open, transparent and accountable process to guide declaration of the results.

“To the aspiring presidential candidates who did not make this process, we wish you better luck next time. Your filing fees of GHC100,000 will be refunded to you,” she said.

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