Elections must be documented for reference, research – Senior Lecturer 

Mr. Alex Kaakyire Duku Frempong, Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, has emphasised the need of documenting political elections in the country for future reference and research.He said that critical assessment of elections provided valuable details for stakeholders to make informed choices about electoral processes.Mr. Frempong made the remarks at the launch of the book 'Ghana's 2020 Elections' in Accra.The 245-page book is divided into three chapters that give an overview of the country's election history from before independence until the seventh electoral cycle of the fourth Republic in 2016.The first chapter analyses the stakes, contestants, and various other aspects of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.The second chapter focuses on the 2020 parliamentary election in the context of the introduction of six new regions and how it affects the regional distribution of parliamentary seats.The last chapter discusses emerging challenges from the 2020 elections and offe rs lessons for the future.Mr. Frempong, the book's author, explained that past elections in the country had been marked by threats of violence and, in some cases, deaths.He said that there was evidence of a significant level of illiteracy among Ghanaian voters regarding election law, procedures, and processes.Mr. Frempong pointed out that the lack of a potential third force in Fourth Republican politics was a significant shortcoming of the Constitution's multiparty system.Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye, former Speaker of Parliament, said the book would prove valuable, particularly for political parties, in strategizing their approach.He recommended the book to the public for them to get insight into the voting system, change the country's political landscape, and make informed decisions that benefit Ghana.Prof Seidu Mahama Alidu, Head of Department, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, said the book would serve to consolidate and enhance democratic processes.Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, former Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, and Mr. Evans Nimako, Director of Elections for the New Patriotic Party, attended the event and bought some books.Source: Ghana News Agency