Ghana’s Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has issued a strong call for bipartisan collaboration to address growing concerns about the integrity of the Electoral Commission (EC), warning that failure to act could further undermine public trust in the country’s democratic institutions.
Dr. Boamah, who also serves as Director of Elections and IT for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), criticized the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for allegedly disregarding earlier warnings about operational flaws within the EC prior to the 2024 general elections. He believes this neglect has contributed to the current political tension and loss of confidence in the electoral process.
His remarks follow a firm declaration by NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, that the party will boycott a proposed rerun of a disputed parliamentary election. According to Kodua, the Electoral Commission violated a court directive, thereby compromising the outcome.
“Our candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, clearly won the election based on credible data. The party’s National Executive Committee has unanimously resolved not to participate in any rerun under the current circumstances,” Kodua stated.
Responding to this, Dr. Boamah took to Facebook on Wednesday, July 9, urging the NPP to reconsider its position and join hands with the NDC to push for urgent reforms within the EC.
“NPP: It’s not too late! Let’s work together to fix the broken Electoral Commission and save Ghana’s democracy,” he wrote. “The NPP should have listened when we in the NDC raised several red flags about the Electoral Commission ahead of the 2024 elections. It’s not too late to act.”
The standoff between the country’s two leading political parties signals rising tensions as stakeholders debate the legitimacy and functionality of Ghana’s electoral system. Many observers say the situation underscores the pressing need for electoral reforms to preserve the credibility of future elections.
, warning that failure to act could further undermine public trust in the country’s democratic institutions.){kind=link}