Ahead of Ghana’s December elections, the UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, has called for stronger communication and transparency between the Electoral Commission (EC), the judiciary, and key political stakeholders, especially the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In an interview on Joy News, Simão stressed that open engagement is essential to building trust in the electoral process.

“Continuous communication is essential to building a transparent and credible electoral process,” Simão stated, expressing hope that the EC and Mahama’s camp maintain open dialogue to ensure a fair and peaceful election.

Simão also emphasized the need for improved public outreach from the judiciary, acknowledging their professionalism but noting that limited communication has sometimes allowed for misunderstandings.

“High professionalism alone isn’t enough; the quality of communication must also match the stakes involved,” he said.

He recommended clearer, audience-specific information—from technical details for legal professionals to broader explanations for the general public.

“Different stakeholders need different levels of information—from technical details for professionals to more general explanations for the public,” he explained, noting that greater transparency would bolster public trust in the judiciary’s role during the election period.