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STOP ELECTORAL COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON BEFORE SHE REVISIT AYAWASO WEST WUOGON AND TECHIMAN SOUTH BRUTALITIES AND KILLINGS ON GHANAIANS -2024 ELECTIONS
In the wake of the 5th-anniversary commemoration of the Ayawaso West-Wuogon by-election violence, the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Against Political Vigilantism and Violence-Extremism (CSAPVVE) is raising alarms about potential threats to Ghana’s democratic process.
The coalition expresses deep concern over the Electoral Commission Chairperson’s decision to solely rely on Biometric Verification Devices (BVD) for identification in the upcoming 2024 elections, foregoing the use of indelible ink. This decision has sparked fears of possible technical issues, voter exclusion, erosion of trust, potential manipulation, and biases in assigning BVDs.
The CSAPVVE emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach, advocating for the combination of biometric verification with traditional security measures like indelible ink to ensure the credibility and fairness of elections. The coalition calls on all electoral stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission, political parties, security forces, civil society organizations, media, international observers, and voters, to collaborate in upholding democratic principles and the rule of law.
The potential repercussions of decisions affecting the electoral process are highlighted, emphasizing the exploitation by political vigilante groups. The coalition urges a united effort to prevent a recurrence of past brutalities and violence, urging the government to arrest and prosecute perpetrators while reiterating the call for apologies and financial compensation mentioned in the Emil Short Commission Report.
Below is the Press Statement
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