The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, concluded yesterday a three-day visit to Ghana. He participated in the stakeholder forum that took place on 30 July in Kumasi, in preparation of the upcoming presidential elections to be held on 7 December 2024.

During his visit, Mr. Simão had meetings with Her Ladyship Gertrude Torkornoo, Chief Justice, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of the Police, former President John Mahama, flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, Honorable Simon Osei-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, Rev. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, Chairman of the Board of the National Peace Council (NPC), media houses.

In his intervention at the Kumasi stakeholder forum, the Special Representative urged all stakeholders “to strengthen their resolve and commitment to peaceful elections, through individual responsible behavior, collaboration and permanent dialogue with others, in pursuit of that objective, and build trust in the electoral process”. Mr. Simão highlighted that these elections will once more test the strength of Ghana’s thirty-year-old democratic process.

The Special Representative Simão reiterated the United Nations readiness to accompany Ghana’s democratic consolidation. Last week, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Barrie Freeman, attended the stakeholder forum in Tamale. These forums organized by the National Peace Council (NPC) with the support of UNOWAS, are part of efforts to promote peaceful, inclusive, transparent, free and fair,  2024 elections in Ghana.