On the 7th of July 2024, Ghana went to the polls in the 9th General election since the return to democracy in 1992. 13 candidates were cleared to contest the Presidential elections, made up of 9 political party-sponsored and 4 independents. The candidate of the Ghana Freedom Party – Akua Donkor, died a few weeks before the elections. While her party indicated interest in withdrawing from the elections, the Electoral Commission retained the party on the ballot as the time allowed for withdrawal under the law had elapsed. 276 seats in Ghana’s unicameral parliament were also up for elections, with 801 candidates contesting in the election.  

Ghana has the reputation of being a stable democratic powerhouse in the sub-region and has gained a reputation for its stable and participatory electoral process.  The voting part of the election has since concluded, and the collation of results is ongoing. The general conduct of the elections and the overall process is commendable, reflecting professionalism, integrity and credibility. It was particularly impressive to observe the broad representation of diverse groups, including women and persons with disabilities.

Opening of Polls and Voting Process

Data from our partners, the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), in collaboration with the National Peace Council (NPC), reveals that 63.94% of polling stations opened promptly at 7:00 a.m., based on reports from 327 observers. Most polling stations became operational Inclusion measures were observed, with persons with disabilities given priority at polling units, appropriate voting equipment provided for the visually impaired, and election officials offering assistance. Pregnant women and the elderly were also prioritized. However, 93.33% of observed polling stations lacked party agents; where present, they primarily represented the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Security personnel were stationed across polling units, contributing to a calm and secure voting environment with no significant incidents of violence reported.

Security Concerns

While we commend the efforts of the Electoral Commission, Ghana Police Service and other security agencies, observers, and citizens who participated peacefully and addressed critical issues that arose during the process, we deeply regret the report of one person being shot and killed in Nyankpala Tolon Constituency in the course of the election; four persons have been arrested in connection with the shooting. This incident stresses the urgent need to address electoral violence and ensure the safety of all citizens during elections. We extend our condolences to the affected family and call on security agencies to thoroughly investigate this case and bring those responsible to justice.  

The Ghana Police Service has also confirmed the arrest of an Election official in the Kintampo South Constituency of Bono East Region who allegedly issued 15 ballot papers omitting a presidential candidate. In the same vein, there are allegations of confrontation between some military personnel and citizens and a few skirmishes which have since been brought under control. We commend security agencies for the prompt investigations of perpetrators and confirmation and assurance to the public of events around security in the election.

Our Work with Ghana Fact-Check Coalition

As a Member of the Ghana Fact-checking Coalition (GFC), our efforts yielded great results, with a total of over 80 claims sourced. Out of which 56 were verified and published, 18 are still pending,g and six are disapproved mostly due to lack of evidence. Twitter and Facebook were found to be at the centre of misinformation and disinformation during the elections. Not so surprisingly, misinformation around party-related issues, candidates’ image, and election integrity were dominant. See the charts below:

Collation of Results

Collation of the election results is ongoing with few Parliamentary results having been announced and concluded. Coalition of the Presidential results indicate that John Mahama, the candidate of the NDC, is leading with 602 454 votes, which is 51.18% of the votes that have been collated. Vice President Bawumia of the NPP, in a press conference on 8th December 2024, conceded defeat and has since called former President John Mahama to congratulate him while awaiting final announcements by the Electoral Commission.

Information Trends

We were also able to fact-check claims concerning the voting process. X users @NanaKwame off, @GrefDuah, and @Amoakokwam claimed that an NDC parliamentary candidate for Ayawaso West Wuogon, John Dumelo, called his opponent Maa Lydia, a husband killer in bulk messages. This was checked and confirmed to be misleading, and Mr Dumelo denied sending the alleged text. We also confirmed that an old video of Kennedy Agyapong accusing delegates of getting paid huge sums of money was confirmed to be misleading. We have also tracked a coordinated network on X (formerly Twitter) that used disinformation to influence public opinion during Ghana’s 2024 elections. The network spreads false claims through targeted hashtags, amplifying misleading narratives to manipulate voter perceptions. Investigations revealed an organized structure, with a central figure disseminating content widely. Experts noted that these activities misled voters and threatened electoral integrity, highlighting the need for stronger countermeasures.

Looking Forward

The peaceful transfer of power is an important part of every democracy, and we commend Vice President Bawumia’s concession speech, which has worked to douse tensions and sustain national cohesion. We are encouraged by Ghana’s resilience in ensuring peaceful, credible and fair elections. As we wait for an official declaration from the Electoral Commission, we shall continue to monitor the process and urge all stakeholders to prioritise a peaceful conclusion.  Democracy thrives when we work together to protect it.

For inquiries: Please contact CJID  via email at co***@*****id.org. Learn more about our work at www.thecjid.org and www.ghana.dubawa.org or on social media: X at @CJIDAfrica or @dubawafacts