The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Madam Jean Mensa, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President-elect John Dramani Mahama, and the National Election Security Taskforce to intervene in ensuring the protection of the Commission’s staff and processes.
The appeal comes in the wake of violent disruptions that have stalled the collation of parliamentary results in nine constituencies following the December 7, 2024, general elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Madam Mensa highlighted the challenges the Commission has faced, including threats, intimidation, and the destruction of vital electoral materials.
She condemned the actions of some political party supporters who besieged collation centers, vandalized equipment, and assaulted EC staff, forcing them to abandon their duties.
Madam Mensa lamented the failure of security arrangements at several collation centers, even with police presence.
“The police were present at all collation centers, yet supporters of political parties managed to gain access and disrupt proceedings,” she said.
These disruptions led to incomplete collation in key constituencies, including Ablekuma North, Ablekuma Central, Techiman South, and others.
In some cases, returning officers were physically assaulted and forced to declare results under duress.
She added that in the Bono East Region, a returning officer was reportedly threatened with an axe and compelled to announce results that did not reflect the collation forms. Similarly, in Techiman South, results from 219 polling stations were used to declare a winner instead of the total 281 polling stations.
Madam Mensa outlined that, the EC, in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, attempted to relocate collation to safer venues, such as the Tesano Police Depot. However, intelligence reports of planned attacks by party supporters forced the Commission to halt the process multiple times. We have also made arrangements to continue the result in Kumasi and Accra, but that too failed.”
“The Commission has been ready to complete the collation process, but the lack of adequate security has made it impossible,” Madam Mensa stated, emphasizing that her staff have shown remarkable courage despite facing threats and physical harm.
The EC Chair made it clear that any results declared without proper collation processes would not be upheld. She stressed the importance of adhering to the law to ensure credible and transparent outcomes.
“Upholding unlawful declarations would set a dangerous precedent for our country, where might becomes right,” she warned.
Madam Mensa urged President Akufo-Addo, President-elect Mahama, and the National Election Security Taskforce to assist the EC in restoring order and protecting the integrity of the electoral process. She also called on Ghanaians to support the Commission in its efforts to conclude the collation and uphold the will of the people as expressed in the polls.
“The Commission’s mandate is not to make anyone president or a member of parliament but to ensure that the outcomes reflect the true choices of the voters,” she concluded.
Ghana | Antinkaonline.com | Ebenezer Madugu