Ahead of the general elections in Ghana on December 7, 2024, the #KeepItOn coalition urges President Nana Akufo-Addo to publicly commit to unhindered access to the internet throughout the electoral processes. In a press conference organized by Access Now, the Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation, and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on November 26, 2024, the coalition demanded that authorities and internet service providers in the country must assure the people in Ghana that the internet and social media platforms will remain accessible and secure before, during, and after the elections.
Ghana must maintain its track record of respecting human rights and electoral process by ensuring unfettered access to the internet and digital services in the upcoming elections. By publicly committing to not disrupt services, authorities in Ghana have the opportunity to assure people of the transparency, inclusiveness, and fairness of upcoming elections, and put a stop on the unacceptable backsliding of democratic values in the region.Felicia Anthonio, #KeepItOn Campaign Manager at Access Now
Authorities in Ghana must make public commitments, as they did ahead of the 2020 elections, when the National Communications Authority (NCA) assured access to the internet and digital platforms. This would be vital in safeguarding people’s right to freedom of expression and access information, as enshrined in the Constitution of Ghana.
Ghana also has a duty to guarantee that people can fully exercise their fundamental rights — online and offline — during elections, as a signatory to regional and international frameworks like International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa 2019.
Internet disruptions are never justified, especially during electioneering periods, as they hinder the flow of information, fuel fear and suspicion, and reduce people’s participation and trust in the entire electoral process. We, therefore, call on the Ghanaian authorities to keep the internet on as it had done in previous elections and to maintain its enviable reputation as one of the few countries on the continent that keeps the internet on throughout every election cycle.Muheeb Saeed, Programme Manager for Freedom of Expression at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
Given recent election-related shutdowns in Comoros, Mauritania, Mauritius, and Mozambique, Ghana — as a member of the Freedom Online Coalition — has a duty to lead by example and acknowledge the indispensable role the internet plays in enhancing information flow and exercise of fundamental rights during elections.
As part of the #KeepItOn coalition’s advocacy against election-related shutdowns, Access Now, MFWA, and over 40 organizations demand the government of Ghana and service providers acknowledge the internet’s role as an enabler of human rights, respect their duty to ensure connectivity, and commit to #KeepItOn throughout the election process.
Speaking at the press conference, Access Now, the Africa Open Data and Internet Research Foundation, and MFWA highlighted the crucial role the internet plays in important national events such as elections, and outlined the implications of network disruptions and internet shutdowns during elections.