Reverend James Lahai, Chairperson of the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON), has advised politicians to adhere to regulations on campaign financing and to avoid hate speech.
Speaking at a press engagement in Accra on Thursday, he urged political parties, particularly the incumbent, to comply with legal requirements regarding campaign spending and to refrain from enticing voters with cash or gifts.
He emphasized that such measures would help prevent compromised electoral outcomes that could lead to violence, especially amid growing economic challenges.
The admonition follows a joint pre-election solidarity mission to Ghana by the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) in partnership with WAEON.
The event was hosted by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) and the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), a member of the WADEMOS Network.
The mission aimed to engage with election stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission, political parties, and the Peace Council, from Tuesday, October 8th to Thursday, October 10th, in preparation for the country’s general elections on December 7, 2024.
Rev. Lahai urged politicians to refrain from using hate speech during campaigns and to commit to this by signing the peace pact.
“Political parties are strongly advised to avoid all forms of hate speech and the use of electoral disinformation mechanisms,” he stated.
Other observations and recommendations made by the Mission included the need to promote trust in the Electoral Commission, enhance declining gender inclusion, and combat electoral misinformation and disinformation.
It also called for effective coordination of stakeholder engagements before, during, and after the election was emphasized to strengthen confidence in the electoral system.
The mission also recommended that the EC provide a comprehensive and final voter register to political parties as soon as possible to aid their planning.
It urged the EC to strengthen its communication strategies for timely dissemination of electoral information to counter misinformation.
The Mission called for enhanced collaboration between the EC, the NCCE, the National Peace Council (NPC), and CHRAJ to improve civic and voter education, among other initiatives.
The Pre-election Solidarity Mission is a five-member delegation that includes James Lahai, the National Coordinator of the National Election Watch of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of WAEON; Alioune Tine, the Executive Director of AfrikaJom based in Senegal; and independent experts on human rights affiliated with the UN.
The delegation also included Cynthia Mbamalu, the Director of Programs at Yiaga Africa in Nigeria; Dan Torkamawon Saryee, the Executive Director of the Institute for Research and Democratic Development in Liberia; Marr Nyang, the Executive Director of Gambia Participates in The Gambia; and Mr. Alpha Issiaga Diallo, the Deputy National Director of Political Affairs and Electoral Administration in Guinea Conakry.
The WADEMOS Network is a non-partisan, independent civil society-led transnational democracy solidarity network comprising over forty civil society organizations across all 15 countries in West Africa.
It aims to mobilize, coordinate, and leverage the collective power of civil society, pro-democracy actors, resources, and opportunities in the subregion to advance, defend, and reinvigorate democracy while promoting related norms and reforms.
WAEON is an independent, non-partisan, and non-religious organization focused on strengthening and supporting citizens’ election observation groups in the subregion.
GNA