The 2024 general election is expected to be a critical event for Ghana as it will determine the country’s leadership for the next four years.

Ghana’s elections typically involve a high level of public participation and scrutiny, given the stakes for both political parties and voters.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, the Electoral Commission (EC), in collaboration with the Ghana Police Service, held a press conference to update the public on their preparedness for the upcoming December elections, now just 11 days away.

A special voting exercise will be carried out on December 2 to allow essential service workers, including security personnel and media, to vote ahead of the main election to enable them to perform their duties on election day.

Updates from the EC Chairperson

The Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa provided a detailed account of the Commission’s readiness for the elections:

Ballot Papers Distribution:

Ballot papers have already been distributed to Police Regional Armouries in 13 out of 16 regions.

By the end of the day, the remaining three regions will receive their ballot papers.

Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs):

BVDs for eight regions have been delivered to Police Regional Armouries for safekeeping.

Devices for the remaining regions will be distributed by this weekend.

Inclusive Electoral Processes:

Political parties, the Ghana Police Service, and other stakeholders were actively involved in the printing and distribution of ballot papers.

Personnel and Training:

Approximately 210,000 election officers have been recruited for this year’s elections.

Training sessions for these officers have commenced.

To enhance preparedness, the EC has developed short instructional videos for officers to use as post-training refreshers.

Collation Process Improvements:

New Aid Memoirs will be posted at all collation centers to streamline the collation process.

These tools aim to address potential challenges, such as requests for re-collation or other disputes.

Voting Schedule:

Special Voting for security personnel, media representatives, and election officers is scheduled for Monday, December 2, 2024. The general election will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

Call for Peaceful Elections:

The EC urged all registered voters to participate peacefully and follow orderly procedures at polling stations.

Assurances from the IGP

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare also addressed the nation, emphasizing the readiness of the security agencies to maintain law and order:

Security Preparedness:

The IGP assured the public of robust security measures before, during, and after the elections to ensure a peaceful process.

Commendation for the EC:

He praised the Electoral Commission for its transparent and efficient work throughout the electoral process, which the police have witnessed firsthand.