CARE Ghana advocates adoption of Mix Electoral Management Model
Care for Free and Fair Elections Ghana (CARE Ghana), has advocated the adoption of a Mix Electoral Management Model to free the Electoral Commission (EC) from the ponderous load impeding the commission’s performance.
A statement issued by Mr David Kumi Addo, the Executive Director, “CARE” Ghana, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the mix model demands for the segmentation of electoral management functions and powers between two independent Elections Management Bodies (EMBs).
It said that would divulge some electoral management functions from the EC to allow the commission concentrate on its core statutory functions to lessen the burden.
It noted that the over reliance on the EC accounts for the commission’s inability to execute all its statutory functions to the admiration of its stakeholders and the public.
“Adopting the Mix Electoral Management Model will establish visible professionalism, eradicate public suspicion, fraudulent activities and the lack of trust.
“Election management is a complex task implemented in a politically charged atmosphere, hence, the call for reforms to ensure that, all aspects of any electoral contest meets global standards and follows the fundamental guiding principles of elections.
“Our proposed reform requires that, one EMB will be responsible for policy decisions concerning electoral processes, boundary delimitation and political parties’ regulation and the other EMB responsible for conducting and implementing the electoral policies.”
The statement said this would ensure internal party democratization and visible presence of all registered political parties in two-thirds of the 260 districts in Ghana.
“It will also give political parties, civil society organizations, voters, donors, the media and other stakeholders the confidence in the effectiveness and service-mindedness of Ghana’s electoral managers,” it stated.
It said the 2020 election petition was the second election dispute experienced in Ghana’s democratic process, and if continued the chances were that Ghana’s democracy might be soiled.
It said therefore, amendment to article 43(1) and political parties Act 2000, Act 574 to divide electoral functions and powers between two independent election management bodies is a panacea to Ghana’s electoral challenges.
Adding that it would require that, each EMB ensured the legitimacy and credibility of the processes for which it was responsible and establish integrity in Ghana’s electoral system.
The statement said this would also promote the general approval of election results and halt electoral disputes.
It informed that in countries such as Jamaica and Romania for instance, two bodies were responsible for managing elections, both of which were independent of the executive and were considered independent EMBs.
It said one of the bodies focused on policy decisions and the other responsible for conducting and implementing electoral policies.
“This ensures that all election participants are treated equally, fairly and even-handedly, without giving advantage to any interest group or political party.”
Source: GNA