The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday, 26 August launched a five-year communication strategy to increase transparency and facilitate communication with voters and stakeholders ahead of this year’s elections.

The communication strategy forms part of internal reforms by the Commission to ensure that it is well placed to superintend a credible and world-class election in December 2016.

Other internal reforms include a new legal department and a new structure for managing third party/fee for service elections and renewed focus on Internally Generated Funds.

Launching the strategy in Accra, Chair of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei said effective communication is necessary if outcomes of this year’s elections are to be seen as transparent and credible by all stakeholders.

“As the body responsible for managing elections in Ghana, we recognise that effective communication drives transparency, accountability and ultimately better services and outcomes and success in improving outcomes and the quality of the electoral services we provide. …The communication strategy that we are going to launch today is the blue print of how we intend to effectively communicate with all internal and external stakeholders in order to deliver on our core electoral mandate. It comes at a time when we have purposed to improve our relationship with our key stakeholders and reposition the commission as a lawful, transparent and responsive institution which is aligned to its responsibilities of delivering credible world-class election,” Mrs Osei added.

According to her, Ghana’s EC is aiming to be the benchmark in Africa for the delivery of independent, trusted and world-class electoral outcomes. “Effective communications is, therefore, imperative to building understanding and trust among our stakeholders,” she stressed.