The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) has raised serious concerns about the possibility of electoral unrest in Ghana following a recent hotspot mapping exercise.
Speaking at the National Youth Party Leaders Conference on Peaceful Elections, Dr. Vincent Azumah, a leading peacebuilding expert at WANEP, revealed disturbing findings from their comprehensive assessment of all 275 constituencies across the country.
Dr. Azumah stressed the alarming risk profile identified in the report, noting that 29 constituencies, roughly 10% of the total, have been categorized as “very high risk,” with risk scores ranging between 75 and 95.
“The situation is scary,” he stated, underscoring the gravity of the findings.
In addition, 30 constituencies, or 10.9%, were classified as “high risk,” bringing the total number of constituencies at risk for potential electoral unrest to 59. Dr. Azumah stressed that this represents a significant threat to electoral stability.
The assessment also revealed that 106 constituencies, or 38.5%, fall under the “medium risk” category, while 53 constituencies were classified as “low risk” and 57 as “very low risk,” making up 19.3% and 20.7% of the total, respectively.
Drawing from WANEP’s extensive experience in election monitoring and peacebuilding in Ghana and West Africa, Dr. Azumah voiced deep concern over the implications of these findings.
“When we talk about very high risk, based on our experience, we are worried about what may happen,” he warned.
As Ghana prepares for its upcoming elections, these revelations serve as a critical reminder of the need for increased vigilance and proactive peacebuilding measures to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
The National Youth Party Leaders Conference, where these findings were shared, provides a platform for political leaders and stakeholders to engage in dialogue and work collaboratively toward addressing the risks, to promote a peaceful electoral environment.
