As Ghana approaches its December 2024 elections, a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) is raising serious concerns about the Electoral Commission’s (EC) refusal to grant observer accreditation to several domestic groups.

The coalition, which argues that an exclusion threatens the transparency, fairness, and credibility of one of the country’s most crucial elections, has criticised the decision.

The participating CSOs, including the Center for National Civic Education and Research (CENCOR), Jatikay Centre, Human Security Research Centre Ghana (HSRCGh), and the FESF Foundation, emphasised the vital role that election observers play in maintaining electoral integrity.

They noted that CSO election observers have been a fixture of Ghana’s electoral landscape since 2008, providing an objective check on election processes that help to ease political tensions and foster public trust.

In a joint statement, the CSOs expressed alarm at the abrupt and unexplained denial of accreditation, communicated through a brief letter from the EC, stating only that “the Commission is unable to accept your application at this time.”

This, they argue, marks a troubling deviation from past practices, where CSO observers were routinely accredited to ensure transparency in elections.

The coalition questioned the motives behind the EC Chairperson’s decision, stating, “What is different this time? What has the EC Chairperson got to hide?” They voiced concerns that Jean Mensa’s “unilateral decision” disregards the principles of inclusiveness, fairness, and transparency that the EC is mandated to uphold.

The CSOs warned of the potential consequences of this decision, highlighting how the absence of independent observers could lead to increased scepticism around the election’s credibility.

Observers serve as a safeguard against electoral fraud, vote tampering, and manipulation—issues that, if unmonitored, could undermine the legitimacy of the election results and jeopardize the stability of the nation.

The coalition presented several pointed questions to the EC:

• On what grounds is the EC withholding accreditation to the CSOs for the 2024 elections?

• Does the EC acknowledge that this move will heighten public scepticism and reduce the credibility of the election process?

• What mechanisms, if any, has the EC put in place to assure citizens of a free and fair election in the absence of CSO observers?

The CSOs called on the EC to reverse its decision, urging that “the unilateral decision of Mrs Jean Mensa be rescinded and accreditation granted to all qualified CSOs that have applied to deploy observers.”

They concluded by stressing that this move not only affects the state but also poses personal and professional risks for Mensa, as the exclusion of CSO observers could cast a shadow over the electoral process she oversees.