Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), in collaboration with the Sweden International Development Agency (SIDA), and the Women Situation Room Project Consortium, have opened a 3-day elections observers training seminar dubbed “Women and Youth Observer Training Program”, towards strengthening Ghana’s electoral system, and empowering a new generation of leaders.
The opening ceremony of the training was held on Monday 11 November 2024, at the Modern City Hotel, Tamale, with thirty participants drawn from various parts of Ghana’s northern regions, and the Commandant, KAIPTC – Major General (Maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane as the Guest of Honour.
The Women, Youth Peace and Security Institute (WYPSI) of the KAIPTC, which is the organizer of the training, deems the training as critical, as Ghana approaches its ninth Presidential and Parliamentary general elections, and an imperative to harness the power of the youth and women, to safeguard the nation’s democratic processes.
Maj Gen Gyane said of the training whose participants compose of women and the youth, that it would equip them with the essential skills to effectively monitor the electoral process, ensuring transparency, accountability, fairness, and the intricacies of election observation, the importance of impartiality, and the critical role of preventing electoral violence.
He added that Election Observers play a vital role in detecting and preventing electoral fraud, such as ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and vote-buying, and that it is by reporting irregularities and inconsistencies, that the integrity of the electoral process can be ensured.
Failure to maintain impartiality can lead to the erosion of democratic norms, social unrest, and even violence, thus he charged the prospective Election Observers, to endeavor to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, to contribute to a peaceful, fair, and transparent election.
He also asked them to report information accurately, without distortion or exaggeration, and to avoid making judgments or interpretations based on personal beliefs or opinions.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
