EU observers arrive in Ghana ahead of elections

The European Union (EU) has deployed a team of 24 observers across Ghana to monitor the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The 24 observers of the EU Election Observer Mission (EOM) were deployed in pairs to each region while the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions will each have two teams.

Deputy EU Chief Observer Mark Stevens explained the exercise would afford Europe the opportunity to access the electoral process.

“Our job is to follow the process very closely. We hope for a transparent election and hope for a peaceful election like everybody else does,” he said during a media briefing to announce the deployment at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra Sunday.

He said the team “will be here till January ending if the election enters a second round, but will stay till around Christmas if there is just one round.”

The Deputy EU Chief added that the team will follow campaigning by the political parties and meet with election officials and stakeholders.
The EU, since 1992, has been part of the international observers’ mission teams that monitors Ghana’s election.

The Union deployed 24 EU member states to all the 10 regions of Ghana during the 2012 general election to assess the electoral process against international and regional standards.
Mark Stevens said this year 32 short-term observers will arrive close to the Election Day.
“We will be assessing whether the elections have been run according to the electoral laws of Ghana and whether they meet the international standards,” Stevens added.