A collective responsibility of all

Ghanaians, both home and abroad hold sacred the institution of the Electoral Commission. Even though, as a people, we are mindful that this institution is manned by our fellow humans who are fallible. As a human institution, they cannot lay claim to total infallibility. But for us as a people, we still trust that the EC could conduct our elections freely, fairly, transparently and peacefully in a manner that, all the major political players will accept the outcome of the results without any cause of shilly-shallying. We expect the commissioners and all workers of the EC to live above reproach. They should attach sincerity and utmost diligence towards the discharge of their responsibilities which the constitution of the Republic of Ghana imposes on them. They should also seek to justify the trust that the people of Ghana repose in them. All workers at the EC must demonstrate their commitment to upholding the constitutional provisions that establishes the Duties and Functions of the EC.
Every individual as well as political parties should be given equal opportunity and treated as equal before the laws as regards the conduct of our elections. Nobody nor party should be treated as ' above the law' whether in Ashanti the dominance of the NPP strong hold or in Volta the dominance of the NDC strong hold. Any worker who flouts the rules and regulations of their engagement at the EC should be axed-out with dispatch particularly at this crucial moment of our electioneering period. All officials of the EC, not excluding the chairman should apply themselves strictly to the rules so as not to endanger the gains we have made so far as a people in our democratic experiment. This time is so challenging especially due to the high hopes of all political parties. Each party believes it can win the December 7, 2012 elections. In fact, some trust they will win by one touch, some others believe they will win at a second round whilst indeed some also hold the view of winning should there be a third round.
It behoves on us as a people to play our respective responsibilities as good citizens to working at ensuring that, the EC does not fail in its constitutional mandate, but conducts itself in a very matured, responsible and acceptable manner during this year’s elections. It is only then that Ghana will continue to be seen and embraced by the whole world as the trail blazer and a citadel of democracy in Africa and indeed a beacon of hope for the African continent. The EC alone cannot work in isolation to maintaining and consolidating the gains above, but also, it is a collective responsibility of all progressive minded Ghanaian citizenry, and we all, must actively participate in the process to ensure free, fair, transparent and peaceful election 2012. God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.

Michael Austen Kugblenu
National Coordinator
Youth Network for Human Rights and Democracy