Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), shared his concerns about the flaws revealed in Ghana’s 2024 general elections in an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show,
His comments, focused on the shortcomings of the electoral management system, have ignited important conversations on the need for comprehensive reforms.
Agyeman-Budu particularly pointed out the issues with the collation process, noting, “This election has exposed several weaknesses in how we manage our electoral systems, especially in the collation of results.”
His remarks struck a chord with many, as the delays and disputes surrounding result announcements have raised questions about the transparency and reliability of the system.
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The election, which was expected to be a straightforward reflection of the people’s choice, has instead sparked widespread concern over the confusion and conflicts that ensued. “Elections should be simple; it’s a matter of casting votes, counting them, and declaring the results,” he stressed.
According to Agyeman-Budu, the election process should not be fraught with complications or disputes, but rather be a peaceful and transparent exercise.
However, the 2024 elections have shown that Ghana’s electoral system still has significant room for improvement. Agyeman-Budu noted that the challenges faced during this election reveal deeper systemic issues.
“There should be no fighting over election results; the will of the people, expressed through the ballot, should be respected,” he argued, calling for a greater focus on upholding the integrity of the democratic process and preventing post-election violence.
He concluded with a stern warning: “In an ideal world, elections should be seamless, but what we’ve witnessed this time around, and the danger of not reforming our processes, suggests that Ghana’s democracy is at a pivotal crossroads.”
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