ECOWAS Mission Optimistic Over Polls in Ghana
The head of ECOWAS’ 250-member observation mission for Ghana’s December 7th 2012 general elections, Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed optimism over the future success of the polls.
“We are here as witnesses to what promises to be peaceful, transparent, credible, free and fair elections,” a statement by the ECOWAS Commission on Tuesday in Abuja quoted Obasanjo as saying after he arrived in Ghana on Monday.
Obasanjo noted that given Ghana’s reputable history, the December 7th presidential and legislative polls would not be an exception.
He commended Ghanaians in general and all the stakeholders, including the national electoral commission, and especially the political parties and their leaders for signing up to a peaceful and violence-free electoral process, towards strengthening and deepening the democratic culture in the country and the region.
The ECOWAS Observation team, led by Obasanjo and comprising representatives of various segments of the West African society, is in Ghana within the context of the region’s instrument for provision of support to member states holding elections.
The president of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, would also be in Ghana to provide additional support to the mission.
Accra would serve as the headquarters and Situation Room for the ECOWAS Mission, with three sub-stations in Kumasi, Tamale and Bolgatanga, from where the regional observers will be deployed to all the 10 administrative regions of Ghana to monitor the conduct of the polls.
Prior to their deployment, the ECOWAS observers will meet with political party leaders and other stakeholders in the country, with a view to ensuring a peaceful environment for the conduct of the polls.
Friday’s polls will be the sixth uninterrupted general elections in Ghana with three peaceful transfer of power in the country since 1992.
This time round, over 13 million Ghanaian biometric registered voters will elect a president out of eight presidential candidates and from the 275 candidates seeking to be elected into the country’s 230-member parliament.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
Category: Africa
