- ESR has hailed Ghana’s 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections as largely peaceful
- He noted that the voting process went smoothly in most areas
- Although most polling stations opened on time, Dr. Adu-Gyamfi highlighted that 33.8% of stations faced delays due to security
The Election Situation Room (ESR) has hailed Ghana’s 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections as largely peaceful and conducted in a conducive environment, despite a few isolated incidents.
During a final media briefing on Sunday, the Chairman of the ESR, Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, commended Ghanaians for their patriotism and patience throughout the electoral process.
He noted that the voting process went smoothly in most areas, in line with the country’s electoral laws.
Dr. Adu-Gyamfi explained that the Electoral Commission (EC) had prepared for the elections with a Voters Register that included 18,774,159 registered voters, 51.6% of whom were female and 48.4% male.
He added that 13 candidates contested the presidential election, while 801 candidates vied for parliamentary seats across 40,976 polling stations nationwide.
Although most polling stations opened on time, Dr. Adu-Gyamfi highlighted that 33.8% of stations faced delays due to security, technical, and logistical issues.
However, the ESR reported that 66.2% of polling stations opened as scheduled, with EC officials adhering to all necessary procedures. Both male and female security personnel were visible at polling stations, ensuring a calm atmosphere.
The ESR Chairman also praised the effectiveness of the Biometric Verification Device (BVD), which successfully verified 98.7% of voters, with some resorting to manual verification methods when needed.
While acknowledging the peaceful nature of the elections, Dr. Adu-Gyamfi pointed out a few incidents, including a shooting at Nyankpala in the Northern Region, which resulted in one fatality and left another person injured.
He expressed gratitude to the EC, political parties, the National Election Security Taskforce, civil society groups, women’s and youth organizations, and the media for their contributions to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
Dr. Adu-Gyamfi stressed that the collective efforts of these stakeholders demonstrated Ghana’s ongoing commitment to democracy and urged political parties to work with the EC and security forces to ensure the smooth completion of any remaining collation processes. He further encouraged all parties to maintain peace and advise their supporters to remain law-abiding in the post-election period.
Finally, he applauded all those involved in the electoral process and called for continued cooperation to ensure a smooth transition. “Despite a few challenges, Ghana’s 2024 elections reaffirmed the country’s reputation as a beacon of democracy in Africa,” Dr. Adu-Gyamfi concluded.
