ECOWAS Election Observation Mission Due in Ghana

29 November 2012
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Abuja - Nigeria — The 250-member ECOWAS Election Observation Mission is due in Accra on Thursday 29th November for Ghana's 7th December general elections, within the context of the region's instrument for provision of support to Member States holding elections.

The team, comprising representatives of various segments of the West African society is headed by Nigeria's former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and supported by Prof. Amos Sawyer, former President of Liberia's Interim Government and Chairman of the Governance Commission of Liberia as well as the AU High-Level Panel on the African Peer Review Mechanism.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, will also be in Ghana to provide additional support to the Mission and to express ECOWAS' solidarity with the Government and people of Ghana during the elections, which are expected to contribute to the deepening of democratic culture in the country. Accra will serve as the headquarters and Situation Room for the ECOWAS Mission, with three sub-stations in Kumasi, Tamale and Bolgatanga, from where the regional observers will be deployed to all the ten administrative regions of Ghana to monitor the conduct of the presidential and legislative elections.

Prior to their deployment, the ECOWAS observers will meet with political party leaders and other stakeholders in the country, with a view to ensuring a peaceful environment for the conduct of the polls. An ECOWAS assessment mission was in Ghana last October to review preparations for the elections during which the mission interacted with various stakeholders, including representatives of political parties, security agencies, civil society organizations, the national electoral commission, and other stakeholders to discuss their perspectives on the preparations for the elections. The elections in Ghana follow the successful polls in Sierra Leone, which were also observed by ECOWAS.

The Region seeks through the Election Observation Missions to promote a culture of transparent and credible elections, consistent with best practices for the enhancement of good governance, regional peace and stability.

Read the original article on Ecowas.

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