The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) have commended the country for reaffirming its democratic credentials following the peaceful inauguration of a new president and parliament after the December 2024 general elections.

According to a press release from the two organisations, the successful transition demonstrated the resilience and maturity of Ghana’s political system in maintaining stability and unity despite potential challenges.

“The early concession of defeat by Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party’s presidential candidate, helped prevent tensions and violence,” the statement noted.

Similarly, the release highlighted President John Mahama’s call on his supporters to refrain from attacking public installations, emphasising that such actions underscored the leaders’ commitment to democratic progress and national unity.

However, IDEG and CFI believe it is crucial to reflect on certain negative incidents that nearly disrupted the country’s peace during the election transition phase.

“Despite the goodwill shown by the leaders of the two major political parties, we must address the major incidents of post-election violence such as organised hooliganism, raids, arson of state property, and other disruptive acts by party loyalists,” the statement said.

A particular concern raised by IDEG and CFI is the tense and chaotic re-collation of parliamentary results in nine constituencies, with special mention of the unresolved situation at Ablekuma North.

The release stressed that these challenges highlight “the urgent need for targeted interventions to resolve disputes related to the collation and declaration of parliamentary election results.”

The organisations warned that if such lawless acts are left unchecked, they could pose serious risks to Ghana’s political stability and security in the future.

To prevent a recurrence of such disruptions, IDEG and CFI called on law enforcement agencies, particularly the Attorney General’s Department and the Ghana Police Service, to take swift action.

“Perpetrators must be arrested, and due process followed to its conclusive end, to serve as a deterrent to potential offenders,” the statement urged.

The organisations also appealed to political parties to work closely with the Electoral Commission to prevent tensions and delays associated with the collation of election results.

“Political parties must cooperate with the Electoral Commission to ensure that the tensions and delays experienced in the collation process do not reoccur in future elections,” they stated.

Furthermore, the press release called on key stakeholders—including political party leaders, civil society organisations, the media, and traditional and religious leaders—to intensify efforts to educate the public on transitional arrangements to promote peaceful conduct in the post-election period.

“Stakeholders must play their role in educating the citizenry to ensure peaceful transitions in future elections,” the statement highlighted.

IDEG and CFI reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to deepen dialogue, enhance civic education, and secure transformational reforms for national unity and stability.

“We will continue to work with political parties and civil society organizations to ensure transformational reforms that will contribute to national unity and stability,” the release concluded.