Accra, June 15, GNA - Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, on Monday called on African countries to join the crusade to preserve the tenets that institutionalised democracy on the continent.

He said recent political upheavals brought about by election disputes were drawbacks to efforts at democratising the governance system on the continent.

Alhaji Mumuni made the call on Monday at the opening of an 11-day Election Management Course by the Legon Centre for International Affairs (LECIA) for 20 participants drawn from 15 African countries. It is to develop competencies and expertise of participants, who are mainly from election management bodies of various countries of the continent, to be able to organize and conduct successful elections. Alhaji Mumuni, whose speech was read by Mr J.E. Aggrey, Chief Director at the Ministry, said one of the biggest challenges facing the continent was effective election management which resulted in chaos and conflicts thereby militating against development.

He said elections on the continent were characterized by malpractices such as rigging and use of security forces to intimidate voters among others adding that this did not give credibility to leaders who emerged out of those elections.

He therefore commended LECIA for the course, adding that such courses were necessary to free the continent from election-related violence and enhanced development.

Professor Kofi Kumado, Director of the LECIA, said during elections, stakes got higher, which if not properly managed, could degenerate into chaos. He stressed that there was the need for appropriate measures to be adopted to overcome the challenges of elections to make the results acceptable to all.

The course marks the end of the first phase of an Election Management Course, which began in 2005 with sponsorship from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).