The general elections in Ghana will be fair and transparent, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said at the ceremony of announcing the winners of the national farmer competition.
"As we approach the 2024 general elections, let me make one thing absolutely clear again. I am unwavering in my commitment to free, fair, and transparent elections. Ghana's democracy is a treasure we have all fought to build and a legacy that must be protected," Akufo-Addo said on Monday, as quoted by local media.
He stressed that any attempt of destabilization during the elections will be prevented.
Akufo-Addo, who has led the country since 2017, will step down in January after serving the two terms allowed by the constitution.
According to the electoral commission, there will be 13 candidates for the presidency, including Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia from Ghana's ruling party, New Patriotic Party, and former President John Dramani Mahama from the opposition party, National Democratic Congress.
Ghana, the second-largest cocoa producer in the world, defaulted on the majority of its $30 billion external debt in 2022. The International Monetary Fund gave Akufo-Addo's government a $3 billion, three-year bailout in 2023, and it is currently completing the arduous process necessary to release the funds.