The African Electoral Institute (AEI) has commended the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and the Ghana Police Service for their prompt action in response to allegations of bribery during the recent Ejisu by-election.
On April 30, 2024, it was alleged that the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, Prof. Kinsley Nyarko, attempted to bribe EC officials during the Ejisu by-election. The EC swiftly handed over the implicated officials to the Ghana Police Service to facilitate investigations.
In a statement, the AEI praised the EC’s decision to involve law enforcement agencies, stating that it hopes this action will serve as a deterrent against future electoral malpractices.
The institute also commended the Ghana Police Service for not only investigating the two EC officials but also inviting Prof. Nyarko to assist with the inquiry, as bribery allegations involve two parties.
“The African Electoral Institute( AEI) commends the EC with regard to some of its officers during the recent Ejisu by-election by handing over the officers to the Ghana Police for the law to take its course. We pray that this action, by the EC, serves as a deterrent in the future. On the part of the Ghana Police, we equally commend them for not just dealing with the two officials for allegedly taking a bribe during the by-election but has further invited the MP involved to facilitate its investigations into the matter, since an allegation of bribe has two sides. This is an election year, and the African Electoral Institute (AEI) urges the Ghana Police to expedite its investigation and all necessary legal processes and consequences to bring finality on the matter,” portions of the statement read.
While refraining from drawing conclusions to avoid prejudicing the matter, the AEI emphasized that any form of electoral malpractice, including the monetization of the process, undermines the will of the people and the spirit of true democracy.
The statement stressed the importance of building a resilient electoral system for national security and urged all Ghanaians and state agencies to proactively protect and enforce the country’s electoral laws.
“Building a resilient Electoral System for national security should be the continuous task of the Electoral Commission. The Democratic credentials of Ghana have come far and rooted, and no stone should be left unturned to maintain and improve same. African Electoral Institute (AEI) encourages every Ghanaian to do his or her part by knowing the dos and don’ts of elections. The EC must make it a point, during training and deployment of its field and back room personnel, to spell out clearly the dos and don’ts per its by-laws on elections and the laws of the country on elections,” the statement read.
The AEI is a civil society organization dedicated to delivering sustainable electoral solutions and strengthening the capacity and participation of electoral stakeholders in emerging and developed democracies.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga|
