CDD-Ghana engages stakeholders in Northern Region on electoral reforms

A day's stakeholders' dialogue aimed at promoting the implementation of electoral reforms to enhance the credibility, transparency and peacefulness of the 2024 general election has been held in Tamale.The event, attended by various stakeholders, including representatives of political parties, civil society organisations, labour and youth groups, media, religious and traditional leaders, was to educate and raise awareness on the importance of electoral reforms as well as highlight specific issues and shortcomings in the current electoral system.It was organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) in collaboration with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers and the Affirmative Bill Coalition with funding support from the European Union.Some of the reforms proposed by CDD-Ghana during the dialogue included the need for the Electoral Commission (EC) to establish clear legal/administrative procedures for handling irregularities by polling and collation officials during elections, and amendment of PNDCL 284 for the Judiciary to provide a shorter timeline for adjudicating Parliamentary election petitions at the High Court and Court of Appeal.The rest were an enacted Affirmative Bill that prescribed at least, 30 per cent quota for women in governance and other key decision-making positions with an aggressive increase to 50%, and the EC should institute a timely and transparent process for the publication of detailed polling station and collation centre results on the EC's website ahead of the declaration of results of Presidential elections.Mr Frederick Adu-Gyamfi, Director of Programmes and Operations, CDD-Ghana, speaking during the event, said the dialogue was necessitated by the challenges associated with the Parliamentary elections' outcomes in parts of the country.Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the dialogue was also to enable stakeholders to demonstrate interest in the country's electoral reform initiatives and their significance in the democratic process.He urged all stakeholders to jo in the advocacy for electoral reforms by using their networks and platforms to discuss the need for improved electoral system in the country.Participants during the dialogue deliberated on the proposed reforms and called for their swift implementation to help consolidate the country's democratic credentials.Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director, Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency, underscored need for women's participation in decision-making and said their experience and expertise were crucial for the development of the country.Naa Alhassan Abdulai, Paramount Chief of Gukpegu Traditional Area, in the Northern Region, who was represented at the event, called for reforms to make violence and vote buying unattractive.He proposed stiffer punishment for those engaged in the act, including a ban from active politics to deter others from such acts.Source: Ghana News Agency