A delegation of European Union (EU) Ambassadors, on Monday, paid a courtesy call on former President John Dramani Mahama, the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Accra.
The delegation, led by Mrs. Diana Acconcia, Head of the EU delegation to Ghana, met the former President as part of the team’s pre-election monitoring event in Ghana.
Members of the EU Delegation were; Mr. Christoph Retzlaff, German Ambassador to Ghana; Madam Daniela d’Orlandi, Italian Ambassador to Ghana and Madam Anne Sophie Avé, French Ambassador to Ghana.
Members of the former President’s team were; Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National Chairman of the NDC; Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, a former Minister for the Interior; Mr. Emmanuel Bombande, a former Deputy Foreign Minister; Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the NDC Director of Elections, and Lieutenant Colonel Gbevlo Lartey (rtd), a former National Security Coordinator.
Discussions at the meeting focused on the current political situation in Ghana and preparations towards the December 7 general election.
Mr. Mahama described the EU as a special and an important partner to Ghana and said the country cherished its relationship with the EU.
“This year is a special year in Ghana because we are having Presidential and Parliamentary elections. And we think that these elections are critical for consolidating Ghana’s democracy and also moving Ghana to the next level, especially after a year, where we have this COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the whole world,” he said.
Mr. Mahama lauded the EU for taking a special interest in Ghana and said the NDC had some issues with the Electoral Commission’s processes ahead of the December general election, which he alleged was creating anxiety ahead of the polls.
He said, for instance, they had to file presidential nominations with the EC using a provisional register, which he said never happened before in the history of the country.
Mrs. Acconcia appealed to all, especially the political parties, to ensure that peace prevailed before, during and after the December polls.
