Kathleen Addy, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has raised alarm over the growing willingness of Ghanaians to engage in election-related violence.

Her concern follows the release of a recent NCCE report, which highlighted that some voters are prepared to resort to violence either to advance their party’s interests or in response to perceived electoral malpractice.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, October 23, Madam Addy stressed that this trend poses a serious threat to Ghana’s democratic stability.

She underscored the importance of addressing the root causes of voter frustration, which often stems from a lack of trust in the electoral process and dissatisfaction with the government.

Madam Addy called for the urgent reinforcement of government institutions, particularly those tasked with overseeing elections.

She emphasised that restoring public confidence in these institutions is crucial in deterring electoral violence and ensuring peaceful elections.

“We have people who are willing to say on record that yes, they’re willing to participate in violent activities at least for one reason or the other, it should be a great source of worry to all well-meaning Ghanaians."

“And as people, we should work together to ensure that we build confidence in the systems that have been set up for governance. So that people will not be compelled to take that course of action."

“People should have the understanding that there are conflict resolutions that are available to various institutions, through the Peace Council. Various institutions and we should use this mechanism to resolve every misunderstanding that comes up."

“When you go to the polling stations, the parties already have someone there ensuring that the parties are allocated with the votes they get. If you have not been delegated to represent your party, you have no business going there to do party work," she stated.