We’ve Not Predicted Violence in Ghana’s Polls- ECOWAS

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned as preposterous, misleading and dishonest reportage, a publication by a Ghanaian newspaper claiming the bloc’s Mission has predicted violence in the country’s upcoming elections.

The said article by Herald Newspaper on August 21 cited a purported “draft statement” by the Pre-election Fact-finding Mission of the Commission on their findings on Ghana following their visit.

“The attention of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been drawn to a sensational article by The Herald tabloid of 21 August 2024 purported to capture a ‘draft statement’ on the findings of its recent Pre-election Fact-Finding Mission to Ghana under the crudely misleading banner ECOWAS Mission predicts violence at Ghana’s 2024 polls.”

However, the Commission denounced the publication in a communique on August 22, stating that no statement has been issued on their findings.

“To educate The Herald, ECOWAS pre-electoral Missions do not issue statements on their findings. Besides, reports of such missions are confidential and meant only for the eyes of the President of the Commission to aid his engagements with the authorities in the Member States. In this instance, the preliminary report is still undergoing quality control. At no time before, during a ND after Fact-Finding Mission had ECOWAS ‘predicted’ violence in the electoral process.”

It continued, “The Commission therefore find it preposterous that The Herald would disingenuously repeat the standard operating procedures of the ECOWAS Fact-Finding Missions, twist issues that are in the public domain in Ghana and try to push it’s partisan conclusions into the mouth of ECOWAS.”

The Commission in its statement touted Ghana’s maturity in democracy and chastised the attempt by the media to sow discord using the body.