GhanaElection 2008 Observer Accreditation A pre-condition for observer accreditation by the Electoral Commission is that the Observer Team is first briefed, whilst Local Observer Team are taken through a briefing and training sessions organised by the Commission before they are issued with accreditation cards and deployed. The Chairman of the EC as well as other senior officers accordingly, briefed all foreign and local Election Observer Missions which observed the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Workshops for Stakeholders The EC works with a lot of stakeholders on a wide range of issues. Sensitisation programmes and workshops were organized for various stakeholders such as political parties, the media, presidential and parliamentary candidates, candidates' agents and security agencies to educate them on the electoral process. These were done under the theme “Safeguarding the Integrity of the Ballot” sponsored by the Canadian International Agency CIDA and facilitated by KAB Governance Consult between 7 th and 25 th November, 2008. The first was an encounter with the Media which enabled the Commission to educate media practitioners on the electoral process and the important but sensitive role expected to be played by them. The workshops also afforded the media personnel the opportunity to express their concerns to the Commission and media reportage on electoral issues. During the workshop for parliamentary candidates, participants were taken through the various stages in the administration of elections up to the declaration of results. Issues related to political tension, violence at elections especially the issue of'macho men' were discussed. The training of party executives and polling agents was done at two levels. Firstly, there was the training of regional party executives who were expected to interact with their agents and prepare them for their own training in the districts. This was followed by grassroots training programmes in the districts by District Electoral Officers, Returning Officers and their deputies. As a specific response to concerns raised during a special meeting by Regional Interparty Advisory Committee(RIPAC) held as part of the process, a study tour was facilitated by KAB Consult and supported by the Friedrich-Ebert­Stiftung to enable members of RIPAC to acquaint themselves with the installations at the EC Head office especially the most'revered' Operations Room or'Dark room',as it is usually referred to, with the Information 14