KEY POINTS
- EC follows a 72-hour legal window to declare election results.
- Three regions have submitted results, while 13 are still pending.
- EC assures citizens of a transparent and credible process.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has called on Ghanaians to remain calm as it works within the legally mandated 72-hour period to declare the presidential results of the 2024 elections.
The EC’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, made this appeal during a press conference, emphasizing that the process is thorough, inclusive, and designed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the results.
Addressing growing public concerns, particularly from members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mensa explained that the delay is not unusual. She stressed that the electoral process involves multiple stages of verification, from polling stations to constituency and regional levels before final collation at the national level.
“The process is elaborate. It is inclusive. It involves the political parties and observers at every step to ensure that what comes up at the end of the day is accepted by all candidates and citizens as well,” Mrs. Mensa said.
How the EC’s result collation process works
Mrs. Mensa provided insight into the EC’s methodical approach to collation, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accuracy. While political party agents and observers have access to results at polling stations, the EC must follow a multi-step verification process.
After votes are counted at polling stations, results are captured, which party agents also receive. The results are then sent to the constituency collation center.
At the constituency level, the results are collated and further approved by political party agents and officials
The approved constituency results are then transmitted to regional collation centers for verification. From there, the final results are faxed to the national collation center in Accra.
At the national collation center, the results are again verified by party agents before the EC Chairperson, serving as the returning officer for the presidential election, officially declares the results.
Mrs. Mensa assured the public that this process is critical to maintaining the credibility of the elections. “Citizens should exercise patience. It’s just been 23 hours. The process is elaborate, and it ensures the will of Ghanaians as expressed at the polling stations prevails,” she stated.
Progress report: Three regions complete, 13 more to go
So far, the EC has received fully collated results from three regions: Ahafo, Central, and Western. This leaves 13 regions still undergoing the collation process.
While some members of the public have expressed frustration with the perceived delay, the EC maintains that the integrity of the election results must be prioritized over speed. Mrs. Mensa reiterated that the process requires precision, as errors or premature declarations could jeopardize the legitimacy of the election.
According to Graphic Online, she also urged citizens not to rush to conclusions or spread misinformation, especially as the EC works within the 72-hour legal window for declaring the results.
“We remain committed to ensuring a transparent, fair, and credible electoral process. We appeal to the public to give us the space to complete our work,” Mensa stated.
The EC’s approach has been praised for its thoroughness, but it has also sparked criticism from some political party members, especially those eager to know the election outcome.
