TACKLING ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN THE UPPER WEST REGION OF GHANA

Abstract

Since the return of Ghana to multiparty democratic regime from 1992 to 2008, Ghana has gone through five major successive general elections and has received numerous commendations all over the world. Incidentally, all these elections were associated with electoral violence. This study aimed at studying the causes, nature, and effects of electoral violence in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The objective of the study included how electoral violence affect the credibility of the electoral system and what measures the Election Management Body (EMB) and the stakeholders in the conduct of elections have put in place to address the occurrence of electoral violence in the Upper West Region in particular. The study identified two broad factors as responsible for the occurrence of electoral violence. The first factor is the process factors that serve as immediate causes of eruption of electoral violence. These factors include demarcation, registration, nomination, campaigning, voting, counting, collation and the final declaration of election results. The second is the external factors which, also serve as fertile grounds for electoral violence to occur. The external factors are existing socio-economic problems like marginalisation, discrimination, politicisation high level of unemployment, poverty and societal conflicts. The study used the qualitative research design in gathering data. The study used purposive sampling technique. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used as the primary sources of data collection while secondary sources were gathered through existing documents, reports, textbooks, and internet search. The study recommended that EMB should be professional in their electoral activities so that their actions would not serve as a spark of electoral violence. The state should adequately resource and strengthens legal institutions to handle all existing conflicts from degenerating into violence at the least provocation during elections.