Commonwealth to observe elections in Ghana

The Group’s mandate is to observe and consider all aspects of the electoral process, assessing whether the elections are conducted according to the standards for democratic elections to which the country has committed itself.

 Where appropriate, the group can also make recommendations for future strengthening of the electoral framework.

Commonwealth observers act impartially and independently, and conduct their business according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.

The Commonwealth Observer Group for Ghana will submit its report to the Secretary-General, who will in turn send it to the Government of Ghana, the Electoral Commission of Ghana, political parties and eventually to all Commonwealth governments.

A five-member team from the Commonwealth Secretariat led by Mark Stevens, Head of the Democracy Section in the Political Affairs Division, will support the group.

The group is expected to be in Ghana from 30 November to 14 December 2012.

Other members of the group include Ambassador Shahed Akhtar,Bangladesh, Ms Rochelle Lashley,Youth Representative / Attorney-At-Law, Barbados, Mrs Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer, Belize, Justice Tom Foulds,  Magistrate, Ontario Court of Justice, Canada and Hon Dr Joseph Misoi, Orange Democratic Movement of Kenya.

The group also include Ms Koki Muli Grignon, Constitutional Law and Elections Expert, Kenya; Mr Alberto Francisco Manhique,Director, Electoral Observatory,Mozambique;Dr Emmanuel Terwar Akem, Director, Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria; Ms Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Lecturer and Member of the Constitutional Reform Commission, University of the West Indies, St Lucia; Mr Vuyisile Sikelela Hlatshwayo,National Director, Media Institute of Southern Africa, Swaziland and

Mr Max Marshall Caller, Electoral Commissioner, Chair of Local Government Boundary Commission for England, United Kingdom and Mrs Priscilla Isaac, Director of Elections, Electoral Commission, Zambia.

 Dr Mosisili is expected to address a news conference at 8.30am on December 4,2012 at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra.