This hitherto concerns electioneering process and accountable governance in the constituencies and Ghana as a whole.

Participants were drawn from the various political parties in the Akuapem South constituency, Security Services, Electoral Commission, Civil Society groups, the Clergy, People Living with Disabilities, artisan groups among others.

Madam Joyce Larnyoh, Country Director for International Child Development Programme said in line with governance strategy programme, her outfit in close consultation with its partners mentioned above, has decided to bring electioneering processes to the doorstep of the citizenry to awaken and facilitate the interest of voting and the sense of holding duty bearers accountable to their promises or pledges after their stewardship.

She stated that more often than not, political parties come to the homes of electorates with sweet and well packaged messages to convince the citizenry to vote them into office; but interestingly many people tend to forget about those promises until there is another time to renew their mandates. However, these pledges and promises are deliberately neglected with disdain at the expense of development of social amenities and the national economy.

Madam Larnyoh pointed out that per the data ICDP has conducted, there is voter apathy. This is to say that a lot of people are fed-up with the recent trend of promises so far, yet most communities remain undeveloped. With these trends, Star Ghana and its partners have decided to take this initiative upon themselves to ensure that “every voice count” project is taken to the doorstep of whoever matters so that they can have a healthy collaboration with people to appreciate the importance of election and the need as a right to vote.

She also pointed out that it is about time the electorates take cognisance of political gimmicks and sugar-coated promises by demanding accountability in their manifestos. This means duty bearers are to be given a time frame to act and deliver upon their vows, she emphasized.

The Electoral Commissioner in charge of Akuapem South constituency Afua Kwankyiwa commended Star Ghana Foundation and its partners for a worthy course. She said the programme could not have come at an opportune time when tensions are beginning to rise-up in all quarters. She urged all political parties to continue their campaigns devoid of insults but based on issues.

She also pointed out that the public should disabuse its mind on rigging during the election and that the E.C is very professional in its dealings. She informed the seating that the E.C has started distributing voting materials. She assured the people that her outfit has put measures in place to ensure a smooth voting process. She said the E.C has done everything humanly possible to ensure free, fair and transparent elections provided some people would not misconduct themselves.

She also assures the electorates that whoever would be in the queue before 5:00pm would be allowed to cast his or her vote. She advised the electorates to turn-out early to cast their vote and either go home or reasonably stay far away from the polling station till 6:00pm to observe counting and declaration of the final polling station results.

Assuring the citizenry of security readiness for the election process, Chief Inspector Daniel Bennie on behalf of the District Police Commander said the public should be rest assured of professionalism of the police before, during and after the December polls. He said the police are leaving nothing to chance to maintain law and order and they would not compromise any slightest misbehaviour or misconduct from any quarters.

He said election is just an individual obligation and right to make a decision but not a time for war so no one deserves to die. He was of the opinion that if one considers the location of Ghana, the country is surrounded by francophone countries so we do not have any place to go. He then advised that we should all jealously guard against the country's peace with pride. He made reference to nations such as Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Rwanda who had serious challenges with famine, economic, displacement and other insurmountable issues that destabilized those countries for a long time.

He advised that if something does not go well with any polling agent or any mal-practice that may occur at the centre, a complaint should be lodged with the Presiding Officer rather than taking the law into his or her hands. He ended by saying that 2 political candidates can never assume a political seat at the same time, one wins and the other loses, regardless, “we all need to do this in a civic, peaceful, free and fair manner”, he added.

In an open forum, Naomi Oppong, a young lady living with disability, dispassionately quipped in by saying that mostly PWDs shuns away from voting because the Electoral Commission does not put favourable measures in place to enable them exercise their franchise. She stressed that the EC should put proper mechanisms in place to let them know that they are not neglected.

In another development, Awura Abena, a seamstress, insisted that a programme of this magnitude should have been organized earlier. She said going forward; it should be at an open space like a lorry park or market place for an ordinary citizen to attend. She explained that voting is not for the elite or the middle class only but for everybody, she quipped.