Africa-Press – Ghana. The World Peace Volunteers (WPV), an NGO, has urged the government and relevant authorities to consider alternative approaches to by-elections that are more cost-effective.
The NGO suggested that in cases where a parliamentary seat becomes vacant, the party that previously held the seat could be allowed to nominate a replacement without the need for a full by-election.
That, the NGO said, could significantly
reduce costs, especially in times of economic hardship.
This was in a statement signed by Mr Seth Acheampong and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The statement called on all political stakeholders, particularly the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic
Congress, to put the national interest above partisan gain and support reforms that promote peace, unity, and responsible governance.
“We were recently accredited to observe the just-ended Akwatia by-election, and what we witnessed on the ground was deeply concerning.
“The level of resource deployment was excessive and, in our opinion, a misuse of public funds,” the statement said.
The statement said over 5,000 police personnel, along with police vehicles, school buses, Metro Mass Transit buses, and other state resources, were committed to a single by-election.
The statement said, “This, in our view, is neither sustainable nor prudent.”
The World Peace Volunteers (WPV) is a registered civil society organisation based in Ghana, committed to promoting global peace through human rights advocacy, the rule of law, democratic governance, climate change
awareness, plastic pollution control, sustainable agriculture, and conflict resolution.
Over the years, WPV has actively participated in international election observation missions across several countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Bulgaria, Malta, Egypt, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The organisation is accredited by the Electoral Commission of the United Kingdom to observe all elections in the UK and holds ECOSOC consultative status with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
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