The Electoral Commission (EC) has expressed no objections to the suggested change in the date for both Presidential and Parliamentary elections, proposing to move it from December 7 to November 7, 2024.

The EC clarified that the proposal, initially brought forward by political parties, aims to provide ample time for the commission to effectively manage its operations, particularly in the event of a run-off.

These proposals were presented during the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Monday, January 22, 2024.

Additionally, the EC is advocating for election days to be designated as national holidays to enhance public participation in the electoral process.

The Deputy Commissioner of the Commission, Bossman Asare, speaking in an interview with JoyNews mentioned that discussions on these matters would continue in the upcoming week.

“The people who attended the IPAC meeting made it very clear that this is something they are in full support of; they are in sync with the EC. But it also requires that they go back and report to their party leadership to hear their views so that when they come to present the official position of their parties. This is something we are ready to meet them next week again for another meeting because we made it clear that this proposal came from you, and we think it is the right time to implement it.”

“We want to know what you think. If the parties say it’s not something they are interested in, the EC doesn’t have a problem at all. We are not doing it for ourselves; we are doing it for Ghana’s democracy and the political parties. And the parties believe this is something good for our democracy,” the Deputy Commissioner said.

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church has formally requested a change in this year's election date.

In a petition submitted to the Electoral Commission and the Attorney General, the church emphasized that the scheduled date, falling on a Saturday, clashes with the Sabbath, a sacred day dedicated to the worship of God.

The church proposes adopting either the first (1st) or second (2nd) Tuesday of November as the new date for Ghana's general elections. This, they argue, should be codified to ensure Adventists the freedom to practice their worship without hindrance.