Ghana has presented a total of 100,000 units of election thumbprint pads to the Republic of Niger to support the second round of its upcoming presidential elections.

Ghana’s Ambassador to Niger, Mr. Jonathan R. Magnusen handed over the materials to the Niger Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) at a short ceremony at Niamey on Wednesday, 17 February 2021.

A statement released by the Embassy stated that Ghana was satisfied with the democratic path embraced by the people of Niger, which resulted in the elections of December 2020, hailed by stakeholders as generally free, fair, and credible.

The second round of the elections is scheduled for Sunday, 21 February 2021.

Mr. Magnusen said the high turnout at the elections, particularly the participation of women, was a demonstration of the will of the people of Niger to reinforce and consolidate democracy, good governance, stronger democratic institutions, and respect for human rights, justice, and rule of law.

Describing the gesture as “another milestone in the long history of brotherliness, friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance” in terms of relations between the two countries for over a century, He commended the CENI for its efforts to ensure a successful election in December 2020, despite security, infrastructural and logistical challenges.

He further urged CENI to replicate the hard work in the second round of elections.

Mr. Magnusen alsocommended President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger for his decision not to seek an extension of his constitutional two-term mandate.

“This decision has earned him the respect and admiration of the international community, and placed him in the record books as the first President of Niger to supervise the handing over of political power from a democratically-elected President to another democratically-elected President,” he said.

Mr. Issaka Souna, the President of the Niger Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), who received the items, expressed profound gratitude to the President of Ghana for the prompt assistance to facilitate the second round of the Presidential elections.

Mr. Souna thanked Ghana for the spirit of generosity, fraternity, solidarity, and cooperation that “characterised the entire process of arranging and delivering the consignment to Niger.”