Former Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, will on Wednesday deliver public a lecture on Ghana’s democratic governance in relation to the country’s Electoral Commission which he chaired for 22 years.
He will be joined by the Director of Elections of the National Democratic Congress Congress, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; and Peter Mac Manu International Election Observer with the Democratic Union of Africa and former chairman of the New Patriotic Party as well as former MP for Jomoro, Samia Yaaba Nkrumah also a former chairman of the Convention Peoples Party.
The Accra Dialogue series, is organized by the Institute of Law and Public Affairs [ILPA], the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation and the Media General Group.
The speakers will in addressing the topic, likely comment on the recent developments in the Commission in relation to the dismissal of Mrs. Charlotte Osei and two other deputies, and the subsequent appointment of three persons to replace them.
It will be held at TV3 Executive Theatre at Kanda in Accra in commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
The organisers say Dr. Afari-Gyan’s successful management of elections over the period and his ability to steer the affairs of the Commission in a manner which reinforced public confidence in the office makes him a valuable resource for the lecture.
His lecture will give an overview of the important strides made in public elections management since 1993, and recommend key reforms which are necessary to safeguard the integrity of future elections in Ghana, and enhance the reputation of the Electoral Commission.
“There are promising prospects for this lecture because it is timely considering that the speaker is highly sought after and for the fact that few people in the annals of contemporary Ghanaian electoral politics can rival his illustrious accomplishments in the area of public elections” they added.
Background
The Electoral Commission of Ghana is the only institution mandated by law to organize, administer and supervise public elections in Ghana.
25 years of its existence represents two and a half decades of successful election management in Ghana; strengthening our democratic dispensation and upholding the public’s collective participation in the most important political process – the election of leaders.
While several of the neighbouring states of Ghana have over the last decade descended into chaos owing to poorly managed public elections, Ghana’s story has been one of endurance, albeit tested and stretched in good measure.
It is on the back of this that on the 25 anniversary of the Commission, Media General resolved to look back on the journey so far with the view to celebrating the institution and its stakeholders and mobilize the human (intellectual) resources to audit its progress thus far.
In light of recent controversial developments relating to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (the dismissal of the E.C Chairman Charlotte Osei/ charges of financial impropriety against its commissioners, etc.), the central purpose of the lecture will be for Dr. Afari-Gyan to give an overview of important strides made in our public elections management since 1993, and recommend key reforms which are necessary to safeguard the integrity of future elections in Ghana, and enhance the reputation of the Electoral Commission.
By 3news.com|Ghana