Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has emphasized the need for a collective national dialogue on the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections to be initiated now in the wake in the coronavirus pandemic which has created a bleak future as far the general elections is concerned.
According to Professor Gyampo the ever-rising confirmed cases on COVID-19 in the country threatens the likelihood of the Electoral Commission of Ghana organizing the crucial 2020 general elections as constitutionally mandated.
Expressing his opinion of the possibility of the elections in the wake of global pandemic fears in an article, the lecturer expressed that Ghana is in a serious dilemma as far as this year’s election is concerned. Whether to organize the elections or postpone it, according to Professor Gyampo, comes along with issues such as public health concerns, security issues, democratic as well as constitutional imperatives.
“Through elections, the citizenry gets the opportunity to either renew or abrogate their social contract with their elected leaders. The people must have the right to decide whether they want to maintain the current government or kick them out through the 2020 elections. A postponement of the election may amount to the risk of suspending the political rights of the citizenry. This in political theory is almost coterminous with a denial of man’s right to life,” Professor Gyampo observed.
“Going on with the elections, also risks several challenges that may undermine public health and lead to “voting without choosing” as well as the conduct of an election, whose legitimacy may be in severe doubt.”
