The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has raised concern over growing mistrust among Ghana’s political parties ahead of the Akwatia by-election.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 30, he cautioned that persistent suspicion between the ruling and opposition parties could erode confidence in the country’s electoral process.
“It is troubling that political parties continue to question each other’s motives and even the role of state institutions in elections,” Mr. Braimah said.
He explained that entrenched mistrust has created a cycle where every electoral exercise risks becoming a flashpoint for disputes rather than a democratic contest of ideas. This, he added, is worsened by inflammatory rhetoric and the politicisation of security arrangements for elections.
“When parties openly cast doubt on the neutrality of the police, the military, or even the Electoral Commission, the ordinary voter begins to lose confidence in the system. That is a very dangerous situation for our democracy,” he warned.
Mr. Braimah urged political leaders to tone down accusations and instead work together to strengthen electoral transparency.
“What Ghana needs now is consensus-building. Political parties must commit to fair play and to reforms that ensure trust in the system. Without this, elections will continue to be about suspicion and conflict rather than competition of ideas,” he stressed.
Source: Ernest K. Arhinful
