WANEP warns of potential electoral unrest and calls for measures to avert situation

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) has raised concerns about potential electoral unrest following a recent hotspot mapping exercise.

Dr. Vincent Azumah, a prominent peacebuilding practitioner at WANEP, revealed alarming findings during a National Youth Party Leaders Conference on Peaceful Elections.

According to Dr. Azumah, WANEP’s comprehensive assessment, which covered all 275 constituencies in Ghana, has highlighted a troubling risk profile across the nation.

“The situation is scary,” Dr. Azumah said, stressing the gravity of the findings. The mapping exercise has categorized 29 constituencies, approximately 10% of the total, as “very high risk,” with risk ratings ranging between 75 and 95.

In addition to these extremely high-risk areas, another 30 constituencies—making up 10.9% of the total—are classified as “high risk.” Dr. Azumah noted that the combination of very high and high-risk constituencies totals over 59, underscoring a significant potential for electoral instability.

The assessment further identifies 106 constituencies, or 38.5% of the total, as “medium risk.” On the lower end of the spectrum, 53 constituencies are deemed “low risk,” and 57 are categorized as “very low risk,” representing 19.3% and 20.7% of the total constituencies, respectively.

Dr. Azumah expressed deep concern based on WANEP’s extensive experience with electoral processes in Ghana and across West Africa. “When we talk about very high risk, based on our experience, we are worried about what may happen,” he emphasized.

The findings come at a crucial time as Ghana prepares for upcoming elections, and they underscore the need for heightened vigilance and proactive measures to ensure a peaceful electoral process.

Dr. Azumah’s call for increased attention to these high-risk areas serves as a critical reminder of the importance of peacebuilding efforts in maintaining stability and security during elections.

The National Youth Party Leaders Conference, where these revelations were made, serves as a platform for fostering dialogue and collaboration among political leaders and stakeholders to address these pressing issues and work towards a peaceful electoral environment.

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