A group calling itself Concerned Ghanaians in USA will on Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 1:00 pm hold a demonstration and a Press Conference at the forecourt of the Capitol Hill, the West Front Grassy Area 1 at the Lower Center Portion, Washington DC.
The group say their action aims at drawing the attention of the international community about the upcoming December 7, 2020 on the growing tension and allegations of election rigging plots by the ruling government and the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
“The purpose of the event is to create awareness for the world leaders and the international community to take a keen interest in the upcoming elections and monitor the polls closely to save the nation from any potential pre-election and post-election disturbances. Ghana is an icon of the democratic system in Africa, as many countries in the continent look up to Ghana in terms of democracy and peace.” – the group said
In a statement signed by the group’s Spokespersons, Dr. Solomon Owusu and Mr. Kevin Taylor, “Tension is already brewing in the country [Ghana] because there have been several electoral flaws allegations levelled against the current EC in her past exercises upon assuming office and the preparations towards the upcoming elections.”
They said, “Some of these flaws included alleged duplicate voters in the biometric registration system, missing names from the new voter’s register, deletion of names from the register without publishing the list of the affected people and intimidations to prevent members of the opposition political parties from registering to vote, among others.”
According to them, flaws “have created an inconsistency in the fundamental link between the trust in election infrastructure and the confidence that Ghanaians place in the basic democratic function.”
They noted that “Presently, the Ghana electoral process infractions under the leadership of the EC, Mrs. Jean Mensah, who was appointed by the current President on July 23, 2018 have raised serious red flags concerning the credibility and transparency of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.”
The group have since indicated that “A written petition will be submitted to the Ghana Electoral Commissioner (EC) and copies will be sent to the President of the Republic of Ghana, the UN, EU, AU, ECOWAS, Ambassadors and High Commissioners in Ghana.”
Read the full press statement:
WE NEED FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS FROM THE GHANA ELECTORAL COMMISSION
CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON DC – Concerned Ghanaians in the United States will organize a press conference together with a staged demonstration at the forecourt of the Capitol Hill, the West Front Grassy Area 1 at the Lower Center Portion on Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 1:00 pm prompt. The citizens of Ghana will exercise their franchise to elect their next president and local representatives in parliament on December 7, 2020. This event is therefore to allow the group to highlight the need to advocate for free, fair, transparent and violence-free elections.
The purpose of the event is to create awareness for the world leaders and the international community to take a keen interest in the upcoming elections and monitor the polls closely to save the nation from any potential pre-election and post-election disturbances. Ghana is an icon of the democratic system in Africa, as many countries in the continent look up to Ghana in terms of democracy and peace. A written petition will be submitted to the Ghana Electoral Commissioner (EC) and copies will be sent to the President of the Republic of Ghana, the UN, EU, AU, ECOWAS, Ambassadors and High Commissioners in Ghana.
Tension is already brewing in the country because there have been several electoral flaws allegations levelled against the current EC in her past exercises upon assuming office and the preparations towards the upcoming elections. Some of these flaws included alleged duplicate voters in the biometric registration system, missing names from the new voter’s register, deletion of names from the register without publishing the list of the affected people and intimidations to prevent members of the opposition political parties from registering to vote, among others.
These have created an inconsistency in the fundamental link between the trust in election infrastructure and the confidence that Ghanaians place in the basic democratic function. Presently, the Ghana electoral process infractions under the leadership of the EC, Mrs. Jean Mensah, who was appointed by the current President on July 23, 2018 have raised serious red flags concerning the credibility and transparency of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
The shortcomings of the EC, coupled with the weak institutions in Ghana have psyched the minds of many Ghanaians about possible disenfranchisement of voters from the opposition political parties and probable rigging in favour of the incumbent President. The Concerned Ghanaians believe that these drawbacks can cause potential violence in the country, hence the staging of the forthcoming combined demonstration and press conference to draw the attention of the world leaders to intervene and safeguard the peace and stability in the country.
Solomon Owusu, Ph.D.
(Group Representative)
Denver, Colorado.
