Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that were denied accreditation by the Electoral Commission (EC) have announced that they will proceed with their plans to cover tomorrow’s elections despite not receiving official approval.
The CSOs, which include the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, Election Watch Ghana, and the Centre for Conflict Resolution, stated that they had repeatedly requested accreditation from the EC for several months but were denied without explanation.
The organizations, led by the Center for Conflict Resolution, have expressed concern over the EC’s decision, calling it a troubling development.
Convenor of the Coalition of Twelve CSOs for Transparent Elections, David Kumi Addo, has criticized the move by the EC to limit the number of election observers. According to him, the decision undermines the transparency and credibility of the election process.
He said there is no law preventing CSOs from monitoring elections, regardless of their accreditation status. He pointed out that accreditation from the EC is only necessary for accessing election premises, but there are alternative ways to observe the elections and verify results.
Addib Sani, a member of the group and Executive Director of the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, called the EC’s actions a threat to the country’s peace and security. He argued that the denial of accreditation to the CSOs undermines public trust in the electoral process.
“Why is she afraid of CSOs? We are simply here to observe. Why are we being denied access? It is safe to say that the EC’s actions pose a significant security threat to the peace of the country as we approach this election,” he stated.
Despite the Electoral Commission’s refusal to grant accreditation, members of the coalition have reaffirmed their strong commitment to monitor the electoral process across the country on Saturday.
Jude Balma, the Convener of Election Watch Ghana, stated, “The EC has denied us accreditation. We even wrote to inquire about the reasons for the denial, but they have not responded. Election Watch Ghana, with over 4,000 volunteers, will be out there to observe the election on Saturday. No one can stop us from carrying out our observation.”
Watch video:
