The Executive Director for Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), Mr. Peter Bismark Kwofie has underscored the need for a conflict and security experts to be added to the Eminent Advisory Council inaugurated by the Electoral Commission (EC).
In a statement Mr. Kwofie said peace or peaceful elections is not about religious or inner peace. Even though Ghana is a religious country, peaceful elections goes beyond that assumption. Elections attract threats (violence) from diverse groups.”
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He argues that “effective election security measures are important and should include the engagement of conflict and security expertise to ensure voters safety. Security of an election is a significant advantage to maintaining peace and stability before, during and after elections. Security planning can’t be effective when it occurs only in a period shortly before the electoral process.”
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In his view, Iit is not too late for the EC to include the academia, security and conflict transformation experts for a holistic coordination for secured and peaceful elections.
The policy analyst noted that aecurity and conflict management are integral to the goals of elections and inseparable part of the electoral process.
He also posited that Ghana’s election is becoming vulnerable to a range of security threats against voters, information and logistics.
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Read his full statement below
Conflict and Security Experts are needed on the Eminent Advisory Council of EC.
The 21 Eminent Advisory Council members of the Electoral Commission (EC) has about 10 religious leaders. Peace or peaceful elections is not about religious or inner peace. Even though Ghana is a religious country, peaceful elections goes beyond that assumption. Elections attract threats (violence) from diverse groups. Globally, terrorists have the capacity and motivation to destabilize a country’s elections and with ongoing violence in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria, election security is imperative in this process. The provision of equitable security before and during an electoral process is preeminent to retaining voters confidence and commitment to an election. Security and conflict management are integral to the goals of elections and inseparable part of the electoral process. Ghana’s election is becoming vulnerable to a range of security threats against voters, information and logistics.
Effective election security measures are important and should include the engagement of conflict and security expertise to ensure voters safety. Security of an election is a significant advantage to maintaining peace and stability before, during and after elections. Security planning can’t be effective when it occurs only in a period shortly before the electoral process. It is of much concern that the 21 Eminent Advisory council has no conflict or security experts to equally coordinate information and structures with the public and the electoral commission but more of religious leaders to fast and pray for peaceful elections. It is not too late for the EC to include the academia, security and conflict transformation experts for holistic coordination for secure and peaceful elections.
Peter Bismark
ILAPI
Tema
Source: Rashid Obodai Provencal||rainbowradioonline.com
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