We want to be the benchmark for elections in Africa – EC

 
Charlotte Osei, Electoral Commissioner
The Electoral Commission (EC) says it is committed to ensuring that it is the most credible elections regulatory body in Africa.

Speaking at a press conference to unveil the Commission's five-year strategic plan, Chairperson Charlotte Osei said it is keen to ensure that its mandate stipulated by law is fulfilled to the letter.

She said the vision of the EC is to be “a benchmark in Africa for enabling independent trusted world-class democratic elections for the citizens of Ghana and all the candidates who take part in the elections.”


Mrs Osei indicated that the EC, in order to facilitate the smooth implementation of this mandate has set for itself a number of objectives.

She listed the objectives as; Ensuring that the elections mandate is delivered and managed transparently and ethically; Ensure that the EC is legally and functionally independent in line with what the constitution says; Develop and maintain a relationship of trust and credibility with the citizens, political parties, all state institutions and all other stakeholders; and Ensure that the EC is operated efficiently and effectively and to world class standards.

“In doing this we set five strategic pillars we will be working around, the first one is to develop all stakeholder relationships, focus on our electoral mandate, engage our internal stakeholders, organize processes better for delivery and leverage on our resources,” the EC said.

In order to hold its workers accountable, the EC chair said staff of the Commission will be made to take ownership of their work, responsibilities and decisions.

“We will strive for excellence in our personal thoughts, in our words, in our actions and we will ensure that we are better today than we were yesterday,” she added.

Charlotte Osei said the EC will also work to ensure inclusiveness in all it does and ensure that all voices are heard.

The EC hopes with these that it will conduct a credible, independent, trusted, free and fair elections that will satisfy the citizenry as well as all political parties.

The EC has also relaunched its website. Unlike the previous one which was difficult to navigate, the EC is certain that the relaunched website will be user-friendly and provide vital information when it is needed.

In relaunching the website, UN Resident Coordinator, Christine Evans-Klock congratulated the EC for its achievements and the efforts it is making at maintaining a reputation in the world for conducting efficient and fair elections and for undertaking all of that in accordance with the rule of law.

She said the website is “A very important element in terms of the commitment to transparency and to communication. This now makes the work of the commission even more assessable to young people and all of us through the country. It is an important part of the process.”
The EC has also unveiled its new controversial logo.