The Coalition of Domestic Election Observer (CODEO) is pleased it report on the pre-election environment for the month of November 2012. This is the sixth and last in the series of CEDEO monthly pre-election observation reports. The report is based on weekly reports filed by the Coalition's Pre-election Field Observation (FOs) who have been deployed to 100 Districts in over100 constituencies throughout the country to observers the pre-election environment .
Summary of Finding
CODEO FOs report that the political and electoral environment has tensed up, but remains largely peaceful;
The Electoral Commission has intensified it preparations towards the December 7 polls
Political Parties , Parliamentary and Presidential candidates have intensified Regional and Constituency campaign activities:
Increase incidence of defacing of rival political party posters in the constituencies:
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) organizes parliamentary candidate's debates and continues its civic and peace education campaign in the communities;
Civil Society groups have stepped up their campaign towards issue- base politics ahead of the elections;
While the media remains one of the major platforms for campaigning and conducting public education in the constituencies, it has also increasing become a platform for personality attacks.
Issues affecting marginalized groups continue to feature less in political discussions and campaign platforms of political parties; and CODEO finalizes its preparation to deploy over 4000 observers on Election Day.
Main Findings
The political and electoral environment is tense ,but remains largely peaceful
CODEO FOs report that a few days to the December 7 polls, tension is beginning to rise in the political and electoral activities in the observed constituencies across the country. However, the general election environment has remained largely peaceful.2
Electoral Commission (EC ) readies for December 7
CODEO FOs report that the Electoral Commission (EC) is finalizing its preparations for the December 7 polls. The EC has recruited and organized training programs for its election-day personnel who will be operating the Biometric Verification Devices (BVD) on Election Day. For Example, in New Edubiase in the Adansi South Constituency in the Ashanti Region, the EC trained 290 verification and presiding officers on November 24,2012.
The Commission has also been distributing to its outlets in the regions and districts voting logistics such as ballot boxes . Indelible ink and other materials. In the Greater Accra Region , for instance the Commission is reported to have started distributing and labeling the ballot boxes for the respective polling stations.
The Commission 's Regional and District officers have also been meeting the parliamentary candidates and other stakeholders in the constituencies to brief them about its preparations so far and what is expected of the candidates and their agents on December 7, in Ningo Prampram Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, the Commission held a forum with the aspiring parliamentary candidates to brief them on its preparations, the verification process, declaration of results and on how to determine valid votes , spoilt and rejected ballots.
Political Parties Intensified their Campaign activities
CODEO FOs reported that many of the political parties in the constituencies have stepped up their preparations as Election Day draws nearer. Party branded mobile vans, T-shirts, fliers and large and colourful billboards are much in evidence everywhere Also, Parliamentary . Candidates are reported to be working very hard to outdo each other.
Some of them are visiting constituents in their homes, markets places and in the churches to canvass for votes. For example, the NDC aspiring parliamentary candidates for the Ayawaso Central in the Greater Accra Region on Sunday November 11, 2012 paid a visit to the Presbyterian Church to interact with the congregation and to ask for their prayers and votes.
Furthermore, the presidential candidates have intensified their campaign activities in the 10 regions.
For example , the candidate for the NDC , President John Dramani Mahama, visited Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region where he interacted with the Chiefs and people in the surrounding communities and rounded off his visit with a party rally at the Jubilee Park.
The NPP presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, was also reported to be busily campaigning in the Asante Akim North Constituency in the Ashanti Region.
Defacing of Party Posters
CODEO FOs report an increase in the act of defacing party posters in the constituencies observed with the National Democratic Congress (NDC)and the New Patriotic Party (NPP)being the most affected.
For example in the Dormaa Central Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, both the NDC and NPP have complained of the destruction removal of each other's party paraphernalia.
Also in the Akan constituency in the Volta Region, the posters of the NDC aspiring parliamentary candidate were defaced.
National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) organized parliamentary candidates' debates and also continued its civic and peace education campaigns.
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) is reported by CODEOs FOs to have organized parliamentary candidates in some constituencies.
CODEO FOs reported of debate in the Dormaa East Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region. The debate afforded the candidates the opportunity to respond to issue bordering on agriculture , health education, road , water and sanitation.
The Commission also continued with civic and peace education campaigns in the communities , churches and in schools. The Commission organized a voter education outreach at Asato and Ahamansu in the Akan Constituency in the Volta Region to educate voters on the need to eschew violence before, during and after the elections.
Civil Society efforts to Promote Issue Campaign
As the December 7 election draws closer , civil society groups both religious and secular , have stepped up efforts to promote issue –based campaigns .CODEO FOs report, for example , that on November 19, the Methodist Church in the Juaboso Constituency in the Western Region invited all the political party parliamentary aspirants to outline their vision and programs to the covered parliamentary candidates' debates organized by CDD-Ghana in collaboration with CODEO in some constituencies. In the Nkwanta South and Banda Constituencies in the Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions for example , the debates were well attended and they were largely peaceful.
Abuse of Incumbency
CODEO FOs reported two instances of incumbency abuse during the period. For instance, a CODEO FO reported that the PNC Parliamentary candidate for the Akan Constituency of the Volta Region , who is a Deputy Director at the Ghana Education Service (GES) is still at post. Also in the Krachi West Constituency in the Volta Region , a CODEO FO reported that, the District Chief Executives . Mr. Moses Ponye is using his office hours and his official car to support NDC parliamentary candidate Ms. Hellen Mtoso to campaign in the constituency.
Non –inclusion of Issues Affecting Marginalized Groups in Political Party Campaigns
CODEO FOs reported that issues affecting marginalized groups like women and persons with disabilities continue to be ignored on major campaign platforms and media discussions (apart from the CDD-CODEO Parliamentary debates).
For instances at both the NDC and NPP rallies in Bolgatanga and Asante Akim North , FOs reported that no specific reference was made on issues affecting the physically challenged.4
The Media
Media ,especially radio, continuous to remain a major vehicle for political party campaign activities and for public campaign activities and for public education in the constituencies , However CODEO FOs also report of a worrying trend in the media where politicians attack their opponents on instantiated allegations . for example on November 13, 2012 , an NPP sympathizer alleged on Solar FM , a local radio station in the Upper Denkyire East Constituency in the Central Region that Dr. Mark Kurt Nawani , the NDC aspiring parliamentary candidates , buried a live cow with the photograph of the NPP parliamentary candidate , Nana Amoako for superstitious reasons.
Commendations CODEO commends:
The Electoral Commission (EC) for giving renewed vigour to its preparations for the elections and for initiating dialogue with stakeholders aimed at ensuring peaceful polls.
The NCCE for organizing debates for parliamentary candidates and for intensifying its civic education efforts in the communities and schools.
Civil Society Groups for their continuous efforts in promoting issue base campaign.
Recommendations CODEO recommends that:
The district Election Security Taskforce to step up the monitoring of political party campaign activities and to deal swiftly with any breaches of the law;
Political parties and candidates must caution their members and supporters to refrain from defacing posters of their political opponents and to respect the code of conduct signed by the parties themselves ;
The government and the NDC party to advise its appointees to refrain from actions and activities that are deemed unfair to political opponents so as to ensure a level playing field for all candidates; and
The media should be more circumspect , responsible ; and objective in its reportage .
CEDEO ready to deploy over 4000 Election Day Observers
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CEDEO) is the final stages of preparation to deploy over 4000 dedicated non-partisan Ghanaians to monitor, the December7 presidential and parliamentary elections. The Coalition has concluded the training for its 4000 Election Day Observers after successfully training its 30 Regional Election Day Coordinators and the 280 Constituency Supervisors.
The 4000 observers who will be deployed to a representative sample of 4000 polling stations randomly selected from 275 constituencies throughout the country will enable CODEO to objectively report on the conduct of polling on December 7, CEDEO will once again employ the parallel vote tabulation (PVT) methodology to independently collate the election results as announced by EC officials at the polling stations. By this methodology, CODEO will be able to independently verify the presidential result as declared by the EC. CODEO's pre-election observation and Election Day observation are made possible by the generous support of the American People through USAID, Ghana.
The Heritage
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