Ghana’s Transparent Election Process Offers Key Lessons for Nigeria and West Africa – Yiaga Africa
Abuja, Nigeria – The recent general elections in Ghana have set a benchmark for electoral transparency that Nigeria and other West African nations should emulate, according to civil society organization Yiaga Africa.
Unprecedented Electoral Transparency
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Ghana’s electoral commission demonstrated remarkable openness during its December 2024 polls. While acknowledging Nigeria’s larger scale (93 million voters vs Ghana’s 18 million), Itodo emphasized the quality of Ghana’s electoral processes.
Key Lessons from Ghana’s Election
- 20-minute verification window for party agents to scrutinize results
- Multi-party ballot box seals to prevent tampering
- Candidate photos on ballot papers for better voter identification
- Efficient early voting system
- Robust security arrangements
Operational Differences Between Nations
“Nigeria has 174,000 polling units compared to Ghana’s smaller infrastructure,” Itodo noted. “But operational scale shouldn’t prevent adopting best practices in transparency.”
International Election Monitoring
Yiaga Africa deployed observers to Ghana’s elections, including Nigerian National Assembly members and Nigerian Bar Association representatives. The organization also monitors elections across West Africa to identify regional best practices.
Call for Electoral Reforms
Itodo urged Nigerian political parties to professionalize their electoral engagement: “Don’t expect civil society to do your job. Parties must strengthen their systems for credible elections.”
The Electoral Commission of Ghana declared John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress winner of the December 7, 2024 presidential election under the leadership of Chairperson Jean Mensa.
Source: Daily Nigerian