President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana branch at the University of Ghana, Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan, has urged students to have faith in the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of this year's UGSRC elections.

According to Dr. Samuel Nkumbaan, this is the best method to ensure that the UGSRC elections are conducted in peace.

On Tuesday, October 25, 2022, Samuel Nkumbaan said during a segment of our morning program Campus Exclusive that candidates and students should respect the Electoral Commission because it is their responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the SRC election.

“The students respect the institution, respect the EC, be confident in the EC and the processes that they themselves have agreed to in the conduct of this very election. So, we are holding them to task to ensure that there is peace during and after the elections.”

"We call on the students to be vicarious in the way they act to what is happening, we expect that nothing at all will happen.

"We encourage the students to behave themselves in a manner that is representative of the institution in which they find themselves and so we’re hoping that this will not be one of those types we’ve seen in the past elections. He stated.

He again stated that he expects a peaceful and fair election devoid of any violence. This, he says, would promote a conducive academic environment in the school.

“For me, the expectations generally will be that it will be something peaceful that is for the benefits of the university by way of management of the institution.

"Of course, the student leadership is a critical part of the governance structure of the university and the best is usually that which we are looking for the interest of ensuring that the environment is conducive for teaching and learning.

"So, we are looking forward to a peaceful election, you would agree that over the last couple of years student elections on campus have not been that peaceful some have violent reactions and destruction of property, we do not expect that will happen again and have learnt our lessons from those past occurrences.” He mentioned

Samuel Nkumbaan further added that using the online system to vote is a good process to start with. This he says is something the university should explore in the future to avoid the human contact that sometimes comes with violence.

“Online elections are the best in terms of the fact that you don’t have the human-to-human encounter. However, we also have to be decorum in terms of who is writing the script.

"For me, it is a good process to start with, and then even the UTAG General elections that we held the last time, that was what we used, and everybody was satisfied with the outcome.

"I think that going forward, it may be something to explore. And it may even be possible to get it out of the absolute hands of students and then let some neutral body operate the systems, for example, our UGCS staff can be tasked alongside the SRC Electoral Commission to develop the system that allows for everybody to have confidence in the online system and avoid the one-to-one contact, which usually will bring about disagreements when it was physical voting.” He indicated.

Students of the University of Ghana are set to go to the polls to elect new executive to man the affairs of the Student Representative Council on November 1, 2022.

This was after the University of Ghana SRC EC and the University of Ghana Computing systems annulled the previous elections held on October 25, 2022 where some students were not able to cast their vote because the majority complained of not receiving their codes.

The election was therefore moved to November 1, 2022 to allow UGCS send codes to all students and resolve any complaints that might come thereafter.

The University of Ghana Student Representative Council (UGSRC) is using the online mode of voting in this year’s elections.

Five Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates are vying for the Presidency. They are Curtis Owusu Akomeh and Linda Ackah Mensah, Martin Boakye and Abraham Lincoln, Samuel Ackom and Ramzy Ahmed, Graham Oduro Dery and Benedict Paakwesi Bortsie and Noah Wumborbi and Kojo Ambrose.

Diana Ohene Bemah, Vida Minta, Ernestina Mahama, and Emmanuella Boakye Yiadom are contesting for the General Secretary portfolio.

The treasurer portfolio is contested by Micheal Kuti and Edward Owusu Boateng.