The National Peace Council has petitioned the office of the Chief Justice to ensure a speedy hearing of parliamentary election petitions that may result from the 2024 general elections.
The Council believes that faster adjudication of the hearing will further boost Ghana’s democratic credentials.
“We’ve sent a petition to the Chief Justice for a shorter adjudication of the Parliamentary election,” Chairman of the Council Rev Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, said on the Hot Issues on TV3 Sunday, March 3.
He further stated that the National Peace Council has introduced guidelines on hate speech and intemperate language for political parties and the media as part of efforts to ensure violent free elections.
He said “We’ve also introduced the guidelines on hate speech and intemperate language for political parties and the media.
“Nobody is happy about election violence. What we can do is to appeal to the institutions responsible for some of these things.”
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Ghanaians will be electing a new president and Members of Parliament on December 7, 2024.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave the assurance that the government will work to ensure that the Electoral Commission (EC) organizes credible and fair polls.
Delivering his penultimate State of the Nation address on Tuesday, February 27, Akufo-Addo said “This is an election year and the increased decibels level in all communications will ensure that even the most politically uninterested person amongst us will know that on December 7, we shall be going to the polls to elect a new president and new Members of Parliament.”
He also urged political parties to uphold the integrity of the democratic system and to view competitive elections as opportunities for growth rather than division.
“A lot of responsibility lies on the Electoral Commission to put the organisation in place that will ensure that we have credible elections. The government is doing its part to make the work of the Electoral Commission go smoothly.
“A lot of responsibility lies on the political parties as well and I hope that the political parties recognise that their credibility is also on the line, especially some people wanting to undermine the multiparty democratic system of governance.
“It is up to the parties to demonstrate that competitive elections are honourable character-enhancing experiences and that, at the end of the process, the loser will congratulate the winner and the world does not come to an end because an election has been lost.”