Appointment of EC Chair; UN lauds Akufo-Addo for all-inclusive approach

The United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator for Ghana, Ms Christine Evans-Klock, has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for committing himself to an all-inclusive approach towards the timely appointment of new electoral commissioners.

She said her outfit also welcomed President Akufo-Addo’s statement that “we are not looking for persons who are coming to do a job for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but we are looking for persons who are coming to do a job for Ghana.”

Statement

A statement issued by Ms Evans-Klock to the Daily Graphic said: “That is what we are looking for, for the Electoral Commissioner (EC).”

She explained that “an all-inclusive approach will strengthen the credibility of Ghana’s regarded democratic process and take into consideration the aspirations of its citizens,” stressing that “echoing calls for an inclusive consultation process was consistent with the recommendations of a UN in-country Assessment Mission carried out at the request of the EC in 2014 to ascertain election preparedness ahead of the 2015 and 2016 elections.”

Public understanding

Ms Evans- Klock, however, called for the full disclosure of information about the investigative processes and their findings to increase public understanding of public institutions, inform civil discourse about them and build confidence in even-handedness in using these processes to ensure public accountability.

She said the UN recognised Ghana as a beacon of democracy within the sub-region and the importance of sustaining its democratic gains.

Therefore, she gave an assurance that “the UN, as a long-standing provider of development assistance to the national electoral process, will continue to support efforts to improve general management of elections in Ghana.”