Electoral Commission is not responsible for election security – Jean Mensa

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Jean Mensa, has outlined that an exceedingly disturbing challenge in the 2020 Election was the violence in 4 centres, which led to the death of 7 citizens.

She made this known in her speech during the assessment of the 2020 election with the IPAC on Tuesday, May 18 at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.

“An exceedingly disturbing challenge was the violence in 4 centres, which led to the death of 7 citizens of our dear country. Though the violence was not widespread, one life lost is a life too,” she said.

She said there is the tendency for fingers to be pointed at the Electoral Commission when security is not the core mandate of the Electoral Commission.

“I use this occasion to clarify that the Electoral Commission is not responsible for Election security. The entire electoral process and its success rests on our shoulders but our mandate as entrenched in the Constitution does not include security. We collaborate and partner with our security agencies in their quest to carry out their responsibility of ensuring peace, law, and order at all centres throughout the country.”

“We need to define clearly without a shadow of doubt whose responsibility it is to guarantee security on Election day and to place that responsibility on their shoulders. Additionally, we need to provide laws to ensure that the perpetuators of the violence are dealt with decisively.

“I take this opportunity to call upon the Police Service and the National Elections Task Force to speed up their investigations and bring the culprits to book. The families of the victims, the citizens of Ghana, and the international community, are waiting for justice to be done.”