The former chairman of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan has underscored the importance of the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in enhancing political parties’ participation in electoral processes to ensuring fair and credible election in the country.
He called for revival of IPAC to enhance political parties’ participation in the electoral processes ahead of the crucial 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The largest opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC), totally withdrawn from IPAC in 2021 after series of boycott prior to the 2020 general election accusing the Jean Mensah led Electoral Commission of open bias and refusal to listen to suggestions and inputs made by the NDC at IPAC meetings.
With the seeming breakdown of the IPAC, the EC in 2019 launched a 21-member Eminent Advisory Committee (EAC) to enhance engagement and interactions between it and the public prior to the 2020 elections.
However, speaking on the topic of Free and Fair election at 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of NDC Lawyers Association in Akosombo in the Eastern Region on Friday on Friday, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan stated IPAC is the single most importance forum that ensures Political parties’ participation in electoral processes and decisions for inputs to enhance free and fair elections.
The longest served venerable former chairman of the Electoral Commission therefore advised that IPAC is made effective again as Ghana prepares into another crucial election.
He also urged government to provide the needed financial resources to the EC so that the commission does not “cut corners” in any of the electoral activities.
However, a former Director of Elections of the Opposition National Democratic Congress, (NDC) Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, said the Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensah is unrepentant in her posturing and bias, considering the EC’s decision to still go ahead to conduct limited registration at the district level instead of electoral areas which will potentially disenfranchise many qualified voters.
He called on well-meaning Ghanaians to speak up on the conduct to the EC to avert consequences especially when the geopolitical environment of West Africa has become vulnerable for political instability.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/Kojo Ansah
