Former Auditor General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has urged the media to unite and boycott coverage of the December elections if the Electoral Commission does not reverse its decision to restrict media access at the regional and district collation centres.
Domelevo argued that the Electoral Commission’s move undermines transparency and accountability, casting doubt on its commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
Speaking at a conference on “The Scarface of Corruption in Ghana,” organized by the group Crusaders Against Corruption in Kumasi, the former Auditor General called on the Electoral Commission to reconsider its decision in order to uphold the principles of a free, fair, and transparent election.
“Why would you rather be limiting the media in today’s day and age? If you don’t want transparency, it means there’s something fishy. Allow as many people who want to show us what is happening.
“I think there must be solidarity from the media to say, ‘Either you allow all of us, or we are not coming, just do your things, if you don’t want media coverage just go ahead and do it’.
“But I am sure my sister Jean Mensa will listen to this advice and rescind that decision. She should tell whoever asked her to take that decision that she is not going to do it and has changed her mind. If it is her personal decision, I plead with her to change it”, he stated.
Adding to the call, outspoken political scientist, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, expressed dismay about the decision of the Electoral Commission and called on the Commission to give no room for doubts about its ability to deliver a transparent election.
“If the idea is that we want to promote transparency then we should be interested. We have always argued that we don’t want that perception of strong rooms being created. One of the proposals for Electoral Reforms we submitted to the Electoral Commission when I was working at the IEA was the need for the commission to demystify the idea of the strong room because it creates an impression that that is a place where election results are cooked.
“And so you cannot demystify the operations and activities of the strong room without media presence. We were thinking that it was in the interest of transparency to have more media practitioners there but the Electoral Commission also came out with this announcement.
“It wasn’t the best so we spoke against it and I am happily informed that the EC has heeded the voices of dissent to its announcement and is at the moment promising to engage with the media with the view to discuss the matter and find a solution.
“I think it is a simple matter. I am excited that the EC has decided to listen and is going to engage. I want to hope and believe that after its engagement we will all be happy”, he stated.
EC to engage GJA, GIBA on limited media access at collation centres
#GhanaPolls2024
#ElectionBureau
#CitiVerify
