The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has come under fierce scrutiny following its inability to declare the results of the December 7 general elections.
Although the EC is within the constitutionally mandated 72-hour window to announce the outcome, critics argue that the delay could be more manageable and demonstrate incompetence.
This sentiment is amplified by the fact that both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have successfully collated results within 24 hours after the polls closed.
Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, Executive Director for the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), in commenting on the vexed matter, did not mince words in his critique of the EC.
He noted that the most challenging aspect of the Commission’s mandate is the organisation of elections and the counting of ballots at polling stations, asserting that once all polling station data are out, the hard part of the EC’s job is done.
He pointed out that from that point, aggregating polling station data into constituency and national-level results is a straightforward arithmetic task, adding that remarkably, this task has already been executed by private media houses, political parties, and civil society groups who possess far fewer resources than the EC.
“Instructively, the one candidate with arguably the greatest personal stake in the outcome of the presidential elections, incumbent vice president and candidate of the NPP Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has commendably conceded the elections and congratulated his principal rival.
“How, then, is an entire EC, a body with disproportionately more resources and access to all the primary data, unable to accomplish this simple mechanical task hours after most other election stakeholders are done doing that same task?”
Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, Executive Director for the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)
Collation Centres: A Source of Chaos
Professor Prempeh’s critique extended to the EC’s reliance on physical collation centres, which he described as a needless complication. “Are our elections won and lost at the polling station or at the so-called collation centre or some other place?” he asked.
According to him, the creation of these centres not only delays the declaration process but also heightens the risk of partisan disruptions and violence.
He argued that the ultimate determination of elections lies at the polling stations, where the will of the people is transparently expressed and validated.
By prolonging the process, Prof. Kwesi Prempeh posited that the EC risks creating the illusion of being the ultimate arbiter of elections, overshadowing the sovereignty of Ghanaian voters. “The EC is only the sovereign people’s agent in announcing the outcomes,” he emphasized, urging the Commission to fulfil its “ministerial or administrative duty” without further delay.
“The EC is only the sovereign people’s agent in announcing the outcomes of our elections, as those outcomes have been expressed in the votes of the people cast and validated at polling stations across the length and breadth of the country.”
Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, Executive Director for the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)
A Nation on Edge
Adding to the chorus of discontent, investigative journalist and renowned writer, Manasseh Azure Awuni highlighted the broader implications of the EC’s delay. “We must not pretend that all is well,” he warned, pointing to the political parties’ incitement of supporters to mass up at collation centres and the accompanying violence.
He noted that the situation could have escalated dangerously had the contest been closer, underscoring the need for a revision of the EC’s protocols.
He proposed that constituency offices, upon certifying results, should immediately transmit them to the EC headquarters, bypassing regional offices and avoiding unnecessary delays. “All is not well, and we must not pretend as such,” he cautioned.
The criticisms from Professor Prempeh and Manasseh Azure Awuni reflect a shared concern: the EC must improve its operational efficiency and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
The needless suspense that accompanies every election cycle does not serve the interests of democracy. Instead, it fosters anxiety and undermines the credibility of the Commission. The commission must with urgency, release the results to affirm its commitment to transparency and accountability.
Ghanaian voters have spoken through the ballot, and their will must not be held hostage to administrative delays or procedural inefficiencies.
As earlier pointed out by Manasseh, Prof. Kwesi Premepeh and civil activist alike, the lessons from this election must drive a comprehensive overhaul of the EC’s protocols to ensure that future elections are free from avoidable delays and the accompanying tensions. Ghana’s democracy deserves no less.
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