The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with the National Peace Council of Ghana, is holding an interactive training workshop with political actors and stakeholders in Ghana from 4 to 11 September 2024.

The workshop aims to create an opportunity for stakeholders to take cognizance of and appreciate the ECOWAS Constitutional Convergence Principles (as provided in the 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance) and other frameworks for transparent and peaceful conduct of elections. In addition, the engagement offers the opportunity to reiterate the commitments of ECOWAS and the National Peace Council to the processes of dialogue and mediation in resolving electoral disputes.

The workshop also aims to provide a platform for structured and multistakeholder dialogue between representatives of political parties, security agencies, the Electoral Commission (EC), and CSOs on issues relating to the organization and conduct of the forthcoming 7 December 2024 general elections. It offers the opportunity for attendees to acquire some practical techniques and skills for dialogue and mediation as important tools for managing electoral disputes and conflicts through group discussions, role-plays simulation exercises and plenary discussions.

Welcoming participants to the workshop, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador (Dr) Abdel-Fatau Musah, represented by Mr. Ebenezer Asiedu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance, reaffirmed the commitment of ECOWAS to promoting dialogue as a critical tool for managing stakeholders’ expectations around electoral processes. In a Goodwill Message, the representative of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Ms. Florence Mensah commended ECOWAS and the National Peace Council for the partnership and timeliness of the workshop, noting the readiness of the Electoral Commission to organize free, fair, peaceful, and inclusive elections. The Workshop was declared opened by Mr. George Amoh, Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council who expressed the gratitude of the National Peace Council to ECOWAS Commission for initiating this proactive and preventive activity to enhance the capacity of main stakeholders for free, fair, credible and transparent elections.

Participants include representatives from the National Peace Council, the Electoral Commission, political parties, security agencies, the Christian Council, the Office of the National Chief Imam, the National House of Chiefs, civil society organizations, including youth and women groups, and the media that play key roles in the prevention and mitigation of election-related disputes.