Private attorney Kwame Jantuah has advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to exercise caution when putting the suggested electoral reforms into effect for the 2024 elections.
The presidential and legislative elections would now take place on November 7 instead of December 7, according to the proposed changes.
Jantuah, however, emphasizes the necessity of delaying implementation, pointing out that a thorough justification of the possible effects of the electoral reforms is required.
In order to discuss the proposed change in the election date, the EC spoke with political parties during the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on January 29, 2024.
Speaking on Saturday, February 3, on Asaase 99.5’s The Forum, Jantuah stated that while he agreed with the reforms, he cautioned against putting them into effect during the next elections in 2024.
“I support it, but I don’t think we should implement it in 2024 because, based on everything you’ve read, how many people are aware of the implications of those changes? And the Electoral Commission ought to attempt to accomplish that, in my opinion.
Additionally, he urged the EC to explain technicalities by giving instances and illuminating the scenarios’ causes and effects. Jantuah emphasized that the public must comprehend the justification for the nation’s electoral reforms since the Electoral Commission is responsible for all citizens, not just political parties.
Yes, they did tell us about some of the opaque boxes, but some of the ones you read out are highly technical; they ought to take them down and give people an explanation.
We wish to make this change because, among the examples we’ve seen, A, B, C, D, and E illustrate what transpired when we neglected to perform X, Y, and Z. People also comprehend this since the Electoral Commissioner represents the people in handling elections, not just political parties. Thus, they ought to make an effort to explain the modifications they make.
Regarding the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) position, Jantuah said that although the NDC might not be against the reforms, they were worried about how quickly they would be put into effect.
He praised Ghana’s adaptability to change for the benefit of democracy and noted the nation’s dedication to real-time electoral process updates.
