1.0 Introduction
Ghana has organized seven (7) successive elections since the country’s return to multi-party democracy in 1992. These Elections have been considered peaceful, competitive, credible, free and fair. However, the participation of vulnerable groups, especially, women has remained woefully low within these Elections. This low participation is evidenced in the fact that women constitute only 13.8%, representing 38 women out of the 275 Members of Parliament. This low representation is in spite of the fact that women constitute 51.6% of Ghana’s total population (GSS 2010).
For this reason, ABANTU for Development with support from STAR-Ghana Foundation is mobilizing and training young women as election observers for Presidential and Parliamentary Elections come December 7, 2020. This is to ignite the interest of these young women into elections, electioneering processes and governance.
For effective election observation, ABANTU for Development organized a one day training titled “Training of Young Women on Effective Election Observation” on Thursday November 19, 2020 at Sunlodge Hotel in Accra. The training was aimed at equipping the election observers with the requisite knowledge and education needed to effectively participate in observing the 2020 election. The training started at approximately 11am with an opening prayer and introduction of participants which was led by Grace Ampomaa Afrifa, Head of Programmes at ABANTU for Development. There were a total of forty (40) participants at the training.
2.0 Opening Remark
After participants had introduced themselves, Rose Mensah Kutin, the Director of ABANTU for Development thanked all participants for traveling far and near to take part in the training. She added that as young women, if they become election observers, they contribute to gender responsive, fair and credible elections. She urged all to pay attention during the training to help add up on the knowledge gained. She ended by stating that majority of Ghanaians are young people so it is an opportunity to be part of ABANTU/ Star Ghana 2020 election observers and to be present at such an important training so it is an opportunity to focus, study hard and go out there and perform excellently.
3.0 Remarks by Rhoda Adom Andoh
Rhoda Adom Andoh of the Women’s Movement Coalition gave a presentation on Women’s Effective Inclusion in Elections. She began by thanking ABANTU for Development and Star Ghana Foundation for the work they have been doing to ensure that women are effectively included in the elections. She also thanked the participants for making time despite the crises covid-19 has brought about.
She explained that the 2020 elections will be the 8th election being held in Ghana since we entered into a democratic regime. Elections are universal institutions because they give right of choice and voice and each individual has a right to fulfill these requirements.
She further added that women need to occupy places where elections take place because women can get into governance only when they get involved in the processes. It is a democratic process that all citizens have to be involved in. Cultural, political and financial problems all weigh heavily on the voter but that must not deter citizens from being included in the electioneering processes.
She ended by stating that during every election, more males come out to vote as compared to the females but there are more females in Ghana than males. She urged all to focus on the presentation on effective election observation because observers have a great role to play in a free and fair election.
4.0 Presentation by Fred Tetteh
Fred Tetteh of the Electoral commission gave a presentation on Effective Election Observation in Elections 2020. He began by thanking the organisers for putting together the programme because it is educative and will also contribute to the electoral commission mandate on ensuring that there is a free and fair election hence the role of observers is a priority. He then introduced himself and three of his colleagues he came with.
He stated that, the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections will be the 8th general elections to be organized by the Electoral Commission under the 4th Republican Constitution. He stated the following as the legal frameworks within which the EC works.
- The 1992 Constitution and the Constitutional Instruments C.I.s.
(91, 126 & 127)
- Article 42 deals with the right to vote: citizens that are 18 years of age or above and of sound mind have the right to be registered as voters for the purpose of public elections and referenda.
- Article 43 establishes the Electoral Commission
- Article 46 provides for the independence of the Commission in the performance of its functions.
- Article 47 is the law on demarcation of electoral constituencies and it empowers the EC to divide the country into parliamentary divisions
- Article 49 deals with voting at elections and referenda and among others, it stipulates that
- Voting at public election or referenda shall be by secret ballot
- Article 51 mandates the Commission to make regulations for effective performance of its functions.
- Article 55(6) empowers the Commission to register political parties.
- Article 63(2) makes the Commission responsible for fixing the date for the conduct of Presidential election.
He then took the participants through the activities of organising an election and he separated them into completed activities and ongoing activities.
Completed Activities
- Voter Registration
- Exhibition
- Nomination of Candidates and production/pasting of Notices of poll
- Procurement/distribution of non-sensitive materials to regions
- Printing and Distribution of Registers/BVDs to regions
- Recruitment and interviewing of Poll Staff at the constituency level
Ongoing Activities
- Voter Education, TV/Radio Adverts, Dialogue sessions, Engagements and Interactions with Stakeholders
- Training of polling staff
- Printing and distribution of ballot papers to regions & constituencies
He also added the following as the 2020 electoral figures:
- Number of Constituencies – 275
- Total number of Polling Stations to be set up 38,622
- 2020 Nomination Statistics- Presidential candidates -12
- Number of Candidates contesting the parliamentary Elections -914
- Number of female candidates-126
- Number of Male candidates -788
- Maximum number of candidates contesting in a Constituency- 8
- Minimum number of candidates contesting in a constituency -2
He also mentioned that the Electoral Commission has put in place measures such as handwashing, temperature checking, social distancing, compulsory wearing of face mask, wiping of finger print scanner and sanitizing of hands before leaving the polling station to avoid the spread of Covid-19.
From then he took the participant through the procedures for processing a voter, a voter is expected to carry his/her voter ID card or voter registration slip to the polling station to facilitate his/her identification. In the absence of the card (due to damage or loss), the voter’s name can be traced from the Name Reference List provided he/she is able to mention the exact name used for the registration.
At this desk, the voter is then processed by assistant (1), the names reference list officer. Then assistant (1) will examine the fingers of the voter for traces of electoral stain to ascertain that the voter has not already voted, If a stain is not found, then assistant (1) continues processing the voter, but if a stain is found and the voter is not a proxy, he or she is disallowed to continue the process.
Assistant (1) will search for the name of the voter in the name reference list with the help of the voter’s ID card. If the voter’s name cannot be found in the list, assistant (1) will search through other lists available at the desk;
- exception ( persons dead, objected to & those challenged)
- multiple (those who registered in multiples)
- absent voters lists( applicants transferred & Special voters)
If the voter’s name is on the NRL, assistant (1) will communicate to assistant (2) the (verification officer), the page number and column in the main voters register where the voter’s details can be found. The voter is given back his/her voter ID card and moves to the next desk. Assistant (1) will make a tick beside the name of the voter in the names reference list as having been processed.
At the verification desk 2, the voter is processed by assistant (2), the verification officer (VO). Assistant (2) flips directly to the page number (as indicated in the reference list) and locates the voter using the name on the ID card.
If VO is convinced, he/she uses the verification device to scan the QR-code of the voter in the register. The voter is then requested to place a finger on the fingerprint scanner of the device. The process is repeated for all the fingers if any of them fails on the first attempt. If the verification device matches the fingers of the voter, the device give a voice message “verified” from the audio mechanisms of the device. If there is no match, a voice message “rejected” will be produced.
In the event of the BVD failing to verify the voter after placing all fingers, the voter will be verified via facial recognition. In this regard, the photograph of the said voter will be taken and compared to the previous ones taken during the registration and if there is a march the voter will be allowed to vote. Upon verification by the BVD, the VO will then apply indelible ink to the left little finger of voter and then direct him/her to the presidential election ballot desk.
Officially the poll closes at 5.00pm prompt, however, all persons in the queue waiting to vote at that hour must be allowed to vote. In that case, when it is 5.00 the Presiding Officer must request the security officer to stand at the end of the queue and ensure that no one joins it after 5.00pm.
The results compiled at the constituency level with respect to candidates for the Parliamentary election are final. In the case of the presidential election, the results from PS to Constituency Collation Centre, all other constituencies in the country will be collated at the Regional Collation Centre (RCC). The RCC results will subsequently be transferred to the National Collation Centre (NCC) for the eventual winner declared by the Chairperson of the Commission. Copies if the results are given to Candidates Agents and also posted at the PS, Constituency Coalition Center (CCC), Regional Coalition Center (RCC) & National Coalition Center (NCC)
He further explained that, Election Observation is the process whereby elections in a particular country or locality are observed against set standards by an independent and impartial body of Observers to ascertain whether the elections conform to the accepted rules of democratic participation, identify flaws and challenges, and also make recommendations on how the process could be improved in the future. It is also is to gather facts about an election and interpret the facts to determine whether an election went well or not. An Election observerhas no role in the actual administration of an election.
He further explained that, election observation is trying to find answers to questions relating to the organization, management and conduct of an Election. These include answers to questions on:
- The Legal & Institutional Framework
- The General Electoral Environment
- Voter Registration and Voter Education
- Political Competitiveness
- Inclusiveness of the Electoral System
- Human Right Violation and Election Related Violence
He also mentioned what observers need to look out for during the Election Day.
- Equitable access to the Media
- Conduct of Candidates
- Posture of Security Personnel
- Election Security
- Conduct of the Poll including Voting, counting, collation and declaration of results
- Resolution of Electoral Results
He added that during report writing, an observer needs to:
- Use right election Language (free and fair, fraud, rigging and irregularity)
- Lapses and genuine mistakes should be distinguished from deliberate wrong doing
- Allegations should not be reported as facts
- Report should also include things done well
He also stated that the accreditation confers official recognition and gives access to the polling stations and Collation Centres. For purposes of accessing polling stations, Collation Centres and Electoral Commission Offices, the observer must display his/her accreditation card prominently.
He then went on to mention the code of conduct for election observers.
- Observers must respect the authority of the bodies charged with administering the electoral process and maintain respectful attitudes towards electoral officials.
- Report to ABANTU for Development any conflict of interests or any improper conduct by other observers who are part of the organisation.
- Maintain strict impartiality in the conduct of duty and should not at any time, publicly express or exhibit any bias or preference in relation to national authorities, parties, candidates or with reference to any issue in contention in the election process.
- Observers can bring irregularities to the attention of the election officers but they must not give instructions or countermand the Election officials.
- Observers must not prejudge the election outcome.
- Observers must display identification provided by Electoral Commission at all times and must provide other forms of identification if required or requested for by any national authority.
- Field observers shall refrain from making any personal comments to the media on what they observed during elections before the Election Observation Mission makes their statement.
- Election observers must not accept any gift or favours that might influence their work and must not attempt to take part in the actual administration of the election.
- Observers must not attempt to play active role in resolving disputes or complaints to avoid the possibility of compromising the Observer’s position on the matter.
- Observers must not take any unnecessary or undue risks. Each Observer’s personal safety overrides all other considerations.
- Observers do not enjoy immunity from prosecution or criminal responsibility for electoral offences or any other offences recognized under the laws of the Republic of Ghana.
- Observers must be very careful and exercise utmost sense of discretion in their choice of words in describing the elections.
- Observers must not wear any political party paraphernalia or any color affiliated to a political party. Observers are advised to wear jeans and a black or white top.
- The Observer is not set out to find faults but to find facts.
He ended his presentation by congratulating all observers to be given the opportunity to take part in ensuring that there is a free and fair election in Ghana.
5.0 Questions
- A participant asked how prepared the Electoral Commission was in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
He explained that they were hand sanitizers, water and soap for hand washing as well as thermometer guns for checking temperatures. The security men will ensure that there will be social distancing in the queue and the BVD machine will be sanitised after every use.
- A participant asked if an observer has the right to ask for a pink sheet and he replied yes.
- A participant asked if the 30,000 quarantined voters be notifies that their ID cards have been considered invalid.
He replied that they have been duly notified.
6.0 Closing Remark
Grace Ampomaa Afrifa of ABANTU for Development thanked the resource person and his team for educating all on election and election observation. She stated that the training has been insightful and she hoped the observers will practice all they had learnt that day. She also thanked all observers for their active participation in making the training successful. The programme ended at approximately 3.30pm.
Prepared by Sarah Asiedu
For
ABANTU for Development
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