By Rebecca Ekpe, a journalist
On December 7, this year, Ghana will go to the polls to elect a President and 275 Members of Parliament, a move that is envisaged to consolidate Ghana’s democracy.
In recent times, conversations have centered around Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
Among the concerns are the multiplicity of power vested in the Executive. Proponents for review of the Constitution say that after 31 years, there is the need to critically look at the document and revise it to reflect the current democratic environment.
Opponents on the other hand want the 1992 Constitution to be protected and remain in its current state, given Ghana’s historical antecedents. Either way, the stakes in Ghana’s 2024 elections are high. The stakes are high due to a lot of factors.
Fundamentally, Ghana is a case of a maturing democracy and growth comes with inherent challenges.
Experts are of the view and predict a contentious and perhaps a more competitive election in December 2024. Contentious because some of the lingering issues from 2020 elections remain.
Lingering issues such as agitations about Registration and the Electoral Register. Biometric verification matters, the Composition of the Electoral Commission, Legal Instruments, which include the use of the Ghana Card as the sole document for voting among other issues linger.
The EC Chairperson, Mrs. Jean Mensa announced that the Commission is considering closing the polls at 3pm on election day. Furthermore, there are proposals not to use indelible ink in the 2024 elections.
However, these recommendations are being opposed by the NDC, an indication that there needs to be further engagements with the NPP and other political parties at the Interparty Advisory Council, IPAC level and all other platforms to ensure a level playing field ahead of the December 7 elections.
Already, experts predict that the 2024 election could possibly be the most contentious, given both 2016 and 2020 elections ended in Court.
In actual fact, a lot can be done to ensure transparent and peaceful polls on December 7, 2024.
Journalists for Peaceful Discourse is an attempt by the Ghana Journalists Association, GJA, to sustain the conversation around promoting peaceful media Journalistic platforms before, during, and after the 2024 elections.
With support from the US Embassy in Ghana, the GJA’s Election 2024 project, ‘’Journalists for Peaceful Discourse’’, is providing platforms for Journalists around the country to receive capacity building and also contribute to the stakes of ensuring that the polls are peaceful.
At a capacity building session in Tamale for Journalists in the Northern part of Ghana, it became more poignant the critical role Journalists play in ensuring that Ghana emerges victorious in the 2024 polls.
One of the critical concerns in the Northern part of Ghana is security.
This is exacerbated by extremism, and more lately religious sentiments raising concerns that Journalists must be more responsive to ethics onboarding empathy and sensitivity in their reportage.
Acknowledging the concerns, the Journalists who were trained in Tamale committed to promoting peaceful Journalistic platforms ahead of the December elections. Clearly, the contribution of the media to the stakes in the 2024 elections cannot be placed at the back burner.
Another emerging issue is the seemingly trust deficits of Election stakeholders.
More comforting is that experts agree more election stakeholder engagements are needed to eliminate lingering issues. It is worthy of note that the media, through the GJA, have committed to providing peaceful platforms.
The onus now lies with Political Commentators, Ghana’s Election Management bodies and other stakeholders, especially the Electoral Commission and the Police to engender more information flow to give meaning to Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution. Freedom of Expression is fundamental to free, fair, transparent and peaceful electioneering in December, and this should remain the prerogative of every Ghanaian!
