|
The Balmy Up Of Ghana's Elections 2008
(A GNA feature by Francis Ameyibor)
Accra, March 17, GNA - Ghana's fifth consecutive general
elections under the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution is
about 22 months away but the various political parties,
especially the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main
opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have set their
electoral machinery at the temperate stage for the December
2008 general elections.
The parties intend to seek the mandate of Ghanaians for yet
another phase of our democratic milestone.
But before the airwaves choked with political jingles and
the street corners start fluttering with party posters,
flags and other campaign materials and platforms are
mounted, the Electoral Commission (EC) is laying the first
blocks to ensure a peaceful, transparent and free election.
The EC is the constitutional body charged with registering
voters, conducting and supervising elections and has the
overall responsibility for a successful electoral process.
POLITICAL BAROMETRE
Political pundits predict Elections 2008 to be crucial,
especially in all respects as it would serve as Verdict Day
for both NDC and NPP to face the Political Judge
(Electorate) to pronounce judgement on their eight years
political governance of the country - 1993 to 2000 and 2001
to 2008 respectively.
The various Political Parties would be offered the platform
to defend their actions and inactions, show evidence how
they could not fulfil their previous electoral promises and
put forward fresh facts in their manifestoes to persuade the
Judge to sentence their clients (Presidential Candidates) to
another four-year jail term at the Osu Medium Prisons
(Castle).
They will also attempt to provide evidence to persuade the
Judge to incarcerate their opponents perpetually in Hell
(Opposition) for four years with hard labour to learn the
rudiment of good governance, tenents of democracy and
adherence to constitutional order.
In other words Elections 2008 will serve as electoral
barometer for determination of the fortunes of the NPP's
quest to retain power at the Castle for another four-year
term or the NDC's bid to dislocate the ruling NPP and
democratically take-over the reins of governance of the
country once again.
The third option that Elections 2008 offers Ghanaians would
be to test the potency of the smaller parties - Convention
People's Party (CPP); People's National Convention (PNC);
and Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).
ROLE OF POLITICAL WATCHERS
Political Watchers are keenly monitoring the pastime
activities of some leading members of "ghost political
parties," - Mr Goosie Tanoh's, National Reform Party (NRP);
Mr Danny Ofori Attah's, EAGLE Party; Dr Charles
Wereko-Brobby's, United Ghana Movement (UGM).
Most Political Experts, whom Ghana News Agency spoke to,
dismissed the potency of new political parties in the
political arena; it would be a miracle for any of the new
parties to win even a parliamentary seat.
At best they will serve as Political Pressure groups to
shape the fortunes of the two leading parties as well as
reduce the electoral temperature with some comic respite.
UNDERCURRENTS
There are undercurrents in every election and these tend to
inform voters, decision on voting day. While some may be
compelled to vote explicitly on the basis of region or
tribe, others may be more nationalistic and be informed by
the general conditions prevailing in the country and whether
the party in power or the contending parties have the guts
to deal with nagging national problems.
Conscious of these undercurrents, Captain Nkrabea
Effah-Dartey (RTD)), NPP Member of Parliament for Berekum in
the Brong Ahafo region, has said a strong local government,
maintenance of law and order as well as human resource
development should be the party's priority to ensure the
country's rapid development.
Capt Effah-Dartey who is vying for the NPP's Presidential
slot for Elections 2008 said, "no country could progress
without a sound and quality education, discipline and
effective participation in decision making at the local
level."
To the NDC's leading member, Mr Eddie Annan, the party had a
bright chance to win the elections because the ruling NPP
had failed to continue the legacy bequeathed to them in
2001.
He said the NDC during its tenure of office (1993 to 2000)
established the needed infrastructure, including schools,
roads, hospitals, water and rehabilitated the ports and what
was left was the creation of jobs to bring economic freedom
to the people.
But unfortunately according to Mr Annan, the NPP is throwing
many people out of job thereby impoverishing many Ghanaians,
stressing: "NPP is killing the already existing jobs and
putting Ghanaians on the streets."
The astute businessman said: "NDC was seeking the leadership
of the country because the party has the ability to create
jobs for the people."
"We have done it before and when given the mandate we can
create more jobs to bring smiles back on the faces of
Ghanaians."
On his part, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a leading member of NDC
considers comments by media houses affiliated to the party,
especially, as crucial for the maintenance of unity within
the party.
He postulated that those media houses should be held
responsible when their comments created tensions and marred
the cordial and peaceful relationships that had existed
within the party.
Dr Spio-Garbrah noted that the media in the country had no
problem with the NDC, but had problems with some members of
the party and gave the assurance that the party would enjoy
a new media-NDC relationship in the coming years
"NDC would be ready to apologise to any media house or
person if the party is notified that it had not conducted
itself well in its relationship with the journalist or media
house," he stressed.
Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy, an NPP Presidential Aspirant says,
if elected as the party's flag-bearer and voted into power,
his administration would fight corruption within the
political parties.
"The public perception that a few anonymous people with
money, irrespective of how it is acquired, can buy
nomination is undermining public confidence in our political
process.
"The observation that the primary processes of our political
parties might be corrupt could produce leaders, who lack the
legitimacy, respect or moral authority to lead our nation.
"We must therefore stop making it almost impossible for
people to succeed in politics without soiling their hands",
Dr Kennedy said.
He assured Ghanaians that his administration would work with
Parliament to enact a "Political Parties Reform and
Financing Bill" to increase transparency and public
participation in all aspects of political party activities.
Dr Kennedy, who is a Medical Doctor based in the United
States of America (USA) said, when voted into power, he
would empower investigative agencies such as CHRAJ and SFO,
by providing them with adequate resources and prosecutorial
powers, while insulating them from political pressures.
"This will enable them to investigate public officials
living above their means by ascertaining their sources of
extra incomes..." he said.
Dr Kennedy said he would streamline the delivery of justice
by speeding up the processes and procedures in the justice
system.
He said his administration would enact and enforce the
Freedom of Information and Whistle Blower's Bills to
encourage the public to play a watchdog role on state
resources.
"This will enable the people to challenge all sectors of
society to demand integrity from the leaders, insist on
accountability and to put an end to tolerating ill-gotten
wealth", he said.
Dr Kennedy explained: "In fighting corruption, my
administration does not intend to fight the wealthy. Indeed,
our nation's economic vibrancy depends on the honest
creation of wealth and well-paying jobs. We cannot help the
poor by discouraging the rich".
The NPP Presidential aspirant urged the media to help the
public to understand the candidates by reporting their
activities fairly and without bias so that the electorate
could make informed choices.
Since the return to democracy in January 1993 the country
has been testing certain democratic institutions while the
electorate have been assessing how the two governments have
performed in the various aspects of the nation's life.
All these may tend to influence the perspective of some of
the voters on the government in power or the potential of
the parties in opposition to govern the country.
The sanity of the electoral process, post-electoral peace,
political accommodation and effective education of the
electorates depends, among others on the nature of political
parties that enter into the electoral contest.
Other factors likely to affect the elections includes
provision of a level playing field, absences of violence and
the use of money to influence voters, issues oriented
political activities and effective party organisation and
mobilization, especially by the new field Marshalls of the
NPP and NDC as well as possible recruits of the other field
soldiers.
Without doubt the two leading parties - NPP and NDC have a
semblance of effective political machinery yet to be set in
motion from the national to the polling station levels.
The prowess of both executives of the NPP and NDC would also
be tested as the Esseku/Botwe led electives who marshalled
the military armaments to win elections 2000 and 2004 and
seven other by-elections are no more.
The NDC on the other hand have also changed the men who led
it to those defeats with "General Mosquito," so far
master-minding three successes and a loss in by-elections.
The question is which of these new administrations would
marshal an effective modern strategy to win elections 2008.
The roles of former president Jerry John Rawlings of the NDC
and out-going president John Agyekum Kufuor of the NPP would
be quite an interesting phenomenon.
Political and ethnic tension emanating from the less than
cordial relationship between former president and out-going
president, especially their roles in the campaign strategies
of their respective parties would be interesting.
INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES
The 2008 election poses a great challenge to all
institutions that have significant and vital roles to play
for the attainment of a free and fair poll.
The contributions of bodies like the executive, parliament,
judiciary, political parties, the media and the general
public are very crucial for the survival of our young
democracy.
Sadly enough, some of these bodies either do not know their
responsibilities or they underrate their contributions to
the processes leading to elections only to wake up
afterwards to accuse the EC of avoidable lapses.
Mr David Adeenze-Kangah, EC's Deputy Chairman in charge of
Finance and Administration, told the GNA: "No electoral
management body can carry out its functions effectively and
creditably without the support of other bodies".
"In fact, none of the many bodies in the country that have
roles to play in the electoral process, including the EC,
can alone ensure credible elections.
"But any one of them can easily mar the success of the
election," he said in Accra recently.
GNA
|
