Ghana Presidential poll: AFRICOM leader calls on UN to monitor Electoral Commission against rigging

AFRICOM leader has called on UN to monitor Ghana’s Electoral Commission to prevent election fraud in the country.

Abednego Orstin Rawlings, President of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Ghana, urged the United Nations to closely monitor the Ghanaian Electoral Commission (EC).

This he said would prevent potential mass rigging ahead of the country’s general elections on December 7, 2024.

Speaking out against what he described as the EC’s “intransigence” on the controversial voter register, Rawlings emphasized the importance of free and fair elections in preserving democratic principles.

Highlighting concerns raised by Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Rawlings noted that voter registers show signs of inflation, an issue the EC has acknowledged but declined to address through forensic auditing.

He warned that this lack of transparency risks undermining public trust in the electoral process, as voting rights were declared a fundamental human right by the United Nations in 1948.

“The Electoral Commission must operate with integrity, allowing citizens to choose their preferred leaders without interference,” Rawlings said.

He emphasized that the EC’s alleged lack of transparency could destabilize Ghana, potentially leading to civil unrest.

With the general elections fast approaching, he stressed the critical need for international intervention to ensure the EC respects democratic processes.

The AFRICOM leader further expressed concern over the EC’s dismissal of the NDC’s calls for a forensic audit of the voter register, arguing that this refusal violates democratic norms.

He urged global leaders, international organizations, and the UN Security Council to actively oversee Ghana’s elections to safeguard the electoral process.

“The importance of this forensic audit message has led opposition parties to plan demonstrations across Ghana,” Rawlings added.

He underscored the need for global involvement to maintain Ghana’s reputation as a democratic leader in West Africa.

Rawlings concluded with a call for Ghana’s EC to support free and fair elections, urging international election experts to work with the commission to prevent fraud and maintain transparency, stressing that only an unquestionable electoral process can uphold democratic values.