There are few institutions in Ghana and in Africa that can hold its head high when it comes to discharging dispassionately its constitutionally mandated duties and many are under performing or have no accomplishments due to corruption, partiality, and inability to stand the pressure from politicians. However, Ghana’s Electoral Commission has been just one of the few to have defied all those negativities. The Commission stands tall among all the civic institutions in Ghana and Africa tasked with preserving democracy, political pluralism and constitutional rule. It is one of the few institutions in the continent that has not given in to political pressure, threats and intimidations which have brought violence and destruction to so many countries in the continent.
The peace and tranquillity enjoyed by Ghanaians today and envied by so many countries in Africa would not have materialised had it not been the good work of the Electoral Commission and its Chairman Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan. For 18 years beginning in 1992, the Electoral Commission has helped to organise five consecutive free and fair elections a record that can only be matched by very few electoral bodies in the continent.
Through the gallant performance of the EC, Ghana has come to be seen as the little white dot on a big black map. The country has been hailed as the beacon of hope for Africa and described as the burning spear and guiding light of the Continent. Ghana has become an icon and a brand name in Africa and the democratic world. She has become the most spoken name in the world of democracy and all lovers of democracy, freedoms and rights in the world now draw inspiration from her achievements and many nations want to be associated with her. Ghanaians and their leaders are held in high esteem across the world. But all these accolades would not have become possible without the tireless and crucial role of the Commission. Through its crucial role the Commission has helped to build and shape the image of the country as a democratic, peaceful and tolerant nation.
Electoral Commission and its leadership have faced two great challenges (tests) in the past 18 years but have managed to sail through with distinction.
The first test came in the 2000 elections when the poll became fierce and competitive between the then ruling National Democratic Congress candidate Prof Evans Atta Mills and the opposition New Patriotic Party candidate John Agyekum Kuffour, forcing the elections into a run off. The nature of the contest had the potential to turn the elections into violence and instability similar to those in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Somalia and elsewhere. But not shivering and not bowing to political pressure, the head of the Commission decided to let people’s choice and the interest of the nation stand above party interests and declared the opposition candidate winner, which was the first to happen in the whole of West Africa if not the whole of Africa. The timely intervention and the umpire role played by the Commission helped to avert the potential bloodbath between supporters of the two political parties.
The second test came in 2008 when the contest between the ruling party candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo and the opposition National Democratic Congress candidate Prof John Atta Mills became so fierce that the onus came to lie on the commission. Then again the Electoral Commission stood firm and decided to allow the aspirations of the people to have priority over those of incumbency and political parties. The Commission therefore declared the opposition candidate winner of the elections after a fierce contested run-off.
The decision of the Commission to stand firm and not collapse under the weight of political pressure, threats and intimidation by political parties has enabled peace to prevail in the country. It has helped to brighten the image of Ghana as a peace-loving country and a country that has opted for a genuine democracy instead of despotism, scant elections and fruitless power-sharing deals which have become entrenched in many parts of the continent. Through its role Ghana has become an Island in an ocean full of political and elections violence, bloodbath and instability. The impartial role the Commission has played since 1992 has helped to reinforce Ghana’s reputation as haven for peace, justice, development and save investment.
The Commission is the single authority that has helped to preserve the Constitution of the Fourth Republic, nurture democracy and has helped to rekindle the bright star that Ghana came to symbolise when she became the first country south of the Sahara to gain independence and in the process lifted the hope and aspirations of millions of coloured people and Black Africans in particular throughout the world.
The Electoral Commission has come to symbolise fair play, transparency, accountability, honesty, justice, independence, integrity, selflessness, openness, objectivity and strong leadership and is idolised by many institutions in Ghana, Africa and the World.
Such courageous display of showmanship should not therefore go unnoticed. Since the Nobel Peace Award is for those who have contributed to world peace and tranquillity, there is no doubt Electoral Commission has all the credential and qualification that entitle it for such an award. The Commission therefore deserve to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the way it has helped to nurture Ghana’s democracy, maintain peace and tranquillity in the country and has helped to avoid the blood bath that has become so common in Africa during and after elections. The achievement of the Commission has made a role model for the rest of the electoral institutions and civic organisations in Africa and recognition by the Nobel Peace Committee will prompt other electoral bodies in the continent to work to ensure that elections are conducted in a transparent manner free from political interference and incumbency manipulation.
The choice of Ghana as the only country south of the Sahara to be visited by President Obama would not have materialised had it not been the tireless effort, exemplary leadership, and the independent role played by the electoral commission. I therefore want to use this piece to urge the Nobel Peace Committee to consider Ghana’s Electoral Commission and its head Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan as candidates in the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for without them Ghana would have joined her neighbours and the rest of the continent in the usual bloodbath, violence, political instability, death and infrastructure destruction and economic collapse.
I also want to urge the government of Ghana to bestow the highest civilian honour of the state on Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan and his Commission for the peace they have helped Ghana to build and enjoy. A statute should be erected Dr. Gyan’s honour and a street named after him for excelling in his role as the head of the Commission.
I also want to encourage the leadership of other institutions such as Commission on Human Rights Administrative Justice, National Commission for Civic Education, Customs, Police Service, the Armed Forces, Judiciary, Parliament and the Executive to emulate the Electoral Commission and the its leadership for making it possible for Ghana to enjoy 18 years of unadulterated constitutional rule and peace. As the world congratulates Ghana for holding free and fair elections we must not forget those who made it possible.
By Lord Aikins Adusei
The author is a Political Activist and Anti-Corruption Campaigner.
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