tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27422427571455803202024-02-20T01:49:46.722-08:00http://ghvotes2012.com/Ghana elections coverage is part of www.africanelections.orgGhana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.comBlogger698125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-86648209873247908812013-10-30T07:36:00.003-07:002013-10-30T07:36:41.971-07:00Let's interrogate Supreme Court judgment - Dr Ampaw<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Maurice Ampaw, President of the
Legal Advocacy Foundation, has called on Ghanaians to carefully interrogate the
issues raised by the Supreme Court Judges in the election petition judgment
rather than attack and insult them. </span>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said the post election petition
discussions should not be attacks on judges but rather to question their
decision in terms of their knowledge of the law.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Ampaw was speaking at a special
forum organized by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) on the “Media’s
coverage of the 2012 Election Petition adjudication: Successes, challenges and
the way forward” in Accra.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Ampaw, who spoke on the topic: “the
legal perspectives on the media’s coverage of the 2012 Election Petition
adjudication and Post-verdict media discussions”, said it was unfortunate that
instead of people interrogating the issues raised by the judges in their
judgments they are rather attacking and insulting them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said the way the verdict was
delivered, however, did not meet the aspirations of most ordinary Ghanaians
though there were various explanations provided from the majority and minority
on the panel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said the comments from Tsatsu
Tsikata, Counsel for the NDC in the election petition, against one of the
judges also open the flood gates for all sorts of attacks and insults on the
judges. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Ampaw further called for a serious
national debate on the law governing the election petition in the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said Articles 62, 63 and 64 of the
1992 constitution are serious provisions that have to be looked at adding that,
these three laws actually favour any respondent in a petition as they suggest
that the person declared by the EC is presumed to be validly elected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Ampaw argued that the same Article
64 which allows the President of the country to be sworn-in while the election
petition is ongoing makes it incongruous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professor Kwame Karikari, Executive
Director for MFWA, who gave an overview of the media monitoring exercise, said
the media has a larger role of being a watchdog over the executive as well as
the citizens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said it was unacceptable for
politicians to use the airwaves to do things that do not help the people and
hinder development.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It is our democratic right for
politicians to tell us their agenda or what they intend to do for the people”
he added.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professor Karikari said the media has a
responsibility to be professional and ethical by doing things that would help
the citizens understand issues that are occurring in the society.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said despite some improvement in
journalism practice in the country we are still not there yet when compared to
the standards of the profession in Ghana with those of other Africa countries
such Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said Ghanaian journalist have the
responsibility to keep improving themselves in order for the citizens to
benefit from public affairs discussions and be better enlightened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professor Karikari also noted that in
spite of the difficulties that the media has they have created the atmosphere
for tolerance by allowing people with different viewpoints to express
themselves through debate and arguments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said the MFWA would continue to work
with the media to improve journalistic standards in the country.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Source: GNA</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<br /></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-41358556372397266522013-10-30T07:32:00.000-07:002013-10-30T07:32:52.557-07:00Parties urged to strengthen their research departments <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Kwesi Jonah, a senior political
science lecturer at the University of Ghana, has appealed to political parties
in the country to strengthen the capacities of their research department. </span>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This, he said, would ensure that the
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them (parties) to address and effect the needed changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Jonah gave said this during a visit
of the Malawian and South Sudanese delegation to understudy the </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">operations of political
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The four-day visit which was sponsored
by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) was hosted and
facilitated by the Institute of Economic Affairs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said although, it is politically
wise for a party to have some ideologies and beliefs which would serve as the
platform on which it would sell itself to the electorate, that might not be the
focus and of necessity to the ordinary Ghanaian.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What the ordinary people care about is
not political ideologies but bread and butter, good education for their
children and good jobs and other necessities of life”, he said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said though all parties in the
country had written down manifestos, very few Ghanaians care to read them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“They prefer to listen to media
discussions about manifestos by party activists and political commentators.
This means that party activists should spend more time on radio educating the
electorate on their plans for the people”, he said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He cited education, health, jobs,
sanitation and agriculture as some of the most important issues to the Ghanaian
voter adding that, foreign policy might probably be the most unimportant issue
to Ghanaian voters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Jonah said poorly financed
decentralised structures, poorly financed national development planning
commission, and weak party research department were some of the challenges
militating against the translation of party policy into national policy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. Jerome Scheltens, Programme
Manager, NIMD, cited party continuity, legitimacy and accountability, and
support base for leadership as some for benefits party tend to derive from
drawing an election programme or manifesto.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He appealed to politicians to desist
from promising the electorate what they know they could not deliver as such
acts tend to cast a spur on the little trust they have in them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr Ransford Gyampo, Research Fellow,
IEA, said the objective of the visit was to share lessons on issues relating to
how to improve on political activities in Malawi and South Sudan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. Levson Gania, Secretary –General,
Malawian Forum for Unity and Development (MAFUNDE), lauded NIMD for the
initiative as the programme would help them improve on their campaign messages
for their election campaign next year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said he had now gained a broad
knowledge on how to package his party’s message in order to attract more
people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Source: GNA</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-60961742203850381342013-10-29T02:31:00.002-07:002013-10-29T02:31:41.480-07:00Fred Oware eyes NPP Chairmanship position<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The 1st Vice
National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Fred Oware, has decided to
contest the National Chairmanship position of the party. <br />
The election, scheduled for March 1, 2014, is being keenly contested by a
number of personalities, including the incumbent, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey;
Mr Paul Afoko, a leading party functionary who is reported to be making major
inroads among both the <span class="adtext">grass roots</span> and bigwigs within
the party corridors; former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Ayikoi
Otoo, who is also reported to be working hard to clinch the Chairmanship after
the expiration of the term of the current executives; and Mr Steve Ntim,
another strong contender for the position.<br />
<br />
According to Mr Oware, <span class="adtext">his</span> key objective is to bring
to the leadership of the party unique abilities to pull everyone to the centre.<br />
<br />
That, he explained, would mean strengthening, energising and resourcing the
entire party structure, particularly at the constituency and polling station
levels, to function effectively.<br />
<br />
In the past four years, the 1st Vice National Chairman said he had actively
raised resources and logistics for the party, having travelled to every corner
of the country pursuing the party’s interest.<br />
<br />
<b>Experiences</b><br />
<br />
“The experience and contacts made in the electoral industry is too valuable to
allow them to go to waste,” he stated.<br />
<br />
On what he was bringing to bear on the fortunes of the party, Mr Oware
declared: “I bring to NPP a pair of safe, mature and experienced hands that
everyone can trust. I am open and shall give access and hearing to the grass
roots but would continue to be firm in the interest of the party. I am from and
for the <span class="adtext">private sector</span>; our development partners. I
am the purposeful manager who understands that together we all must manage the
grass roots to win general elections.”<br />
<br />
He, therefore, urged the party’s delegates to be mindful that “our business is
to win general elections and that bring real development to our people and this
requires trusted leadership.”<br />
<br />
Accordingly, he invited the delegates and party members at all levels to buy
into his vision of truly uniting the party for Victory 2016 by endorsing him as
party chairman.<br />
<br />
<b>Ideals of party</b><br />
<br />
Inspired by the ideals of the party and its leadership, Mr Oware became a
member of the party two decades ago.<br />
<br />
Over the years, Mr Oware argues that the party’s maxim of “Development in
Freedom,” based on the principles of rule of law, personal freedoms, free
market operation and strong family values, has proven that it is best for any
country to inspire its people to work and improve upon themselves.<br />
<br />
Currently, he said, firm leadership, strategic planning, timely implementation
of plans, use of intelligence and party cohesion and unity were matters requiring
experienced and fair-minded people to attend to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Source:
Daily <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graphic</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-10945222557007520922013-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:002013-10-28T09:52:27.559-07:00I need God's guidance to return to politics - Akufo-Addo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The presidential candidate of the NPP for the
2012 elections, Nana Akufo-Addo, says he is still looking up to God for
spiritual guidance and directions regarding his political future.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">His comments follow speculations that
the two-time defeated presidential candidate had abandoned any thoughts of
a third bid for the presidency.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nana Akufo-Addo announced at a news
conference minutes after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition he and two
others brought challenging the outcome of the 2012 <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_2">presidential elections</span></span> that he
was going to take a break from politics.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since, nothing has been heard about his
ambitions but newspaper publications last week suggested that he had bowed out
of politics for good.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But addressing supporters of the NPP in
London <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_1">over the weekend</span></span>,
Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated his decision to announce his political future
when he returns from the UK where he is taking a rest.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He told the supporters that God's guidance
will determine whatever decision he comes, stressing the need for the rank
and file of the NPP to stay united and contribute ideas towards the party's
progress.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Meanwhile former Executive Director of the
pro-NPP think-tank Danquah Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko says Nana
Akufo-Addo is the best bet to win the 2016 election for the opposition party.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In an article published Monday, Mr. Otchere
Darko said publications suggesting that the former flagbearer will not run
again are false and must be disregarded.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Indeed, I believe that after all that he has
heard and seen, after all the calculations and analysis of the current social
and economic situation in Ghana, the state of the NPP and its prospects and
challenges of electoral victory in three years time, Nana Akufo-Addo is more
likely to offer himself to lead the opposition party for the 2016 presidential
election than not. This is my expectation. Nothing more, nothing less”.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Source:
myjoyonline</span></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-51327163656128739822013-10-28T09:39:00.002-07:002013-10-28T09:40:39.454-07:00Ayikoi Otoo guns for NPP National Chairmanship<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Former Attorney General and Minister of
Justice, Mr. Ayikoi Otoo is working hard to clinch the next National
Chairman position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the expiration of the
current executives.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">According to Mr. Ayikoi Otoo, who is chairman
of the Constitutional Committee of the party, he has marketed himself enough to
be given the nod as the next national chairman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mr. Ayikoi Otoo is the latest to have
publicly declared interest in becoming a national executive member of the NPP.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Speaking to Joy News, he pointed out that
apart from serving the party at various levels, he also has the clout to lead
the party to victory in 2016.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"I believe that I am quite popular
amongst our party and cutting across from some of the cases that I have done
and some of the things I have done for the party as Chairman of the
Constitutional Committee and member of the National Vetting Committee as well
as the Disciplinary Committee", Mr. Ayikoi Otoo asserted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To him, his participation in <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_3">party activities</span></span> and <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_2">high level</span></span> committees he had
chaired within the party coupled with his legal showmanship he exhibited during
the famous "Sir John-<span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_1">Supreme court</span></span>
encounter" during the election petition hearing, has turned him into a
household name.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"It is a matter of how people are
getting to know you more as to what you stand for and what you can bring to
assist the party capture power in 2016", Mr. Ayikoi Otoo affirmed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Source: myjoyonline</span></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-13244424234815923992013-10-25T08:22:00.000-07:002013-10-25T08:22:26.030-07:00Lower Manya votes December 3<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After years
of legal battle, threats of “self-government” and several assurances from the
government and the Electoral Commission (EC), the people of Lower Manya Krobo
will, on December 3, 2013, have the opportunity to elect their district
assembly and unit committee members. <br />
The EC yesterday fulfilled promises it had made that it would organise the
elections immediately resources were made available to it by the government treasury.<br />
<br />
According to a letter signed by a Deputy Chairman of the EC, Mr Amadu Sulley, a
copy of which was made available to the <span class="adtext"><i><span id="adtext_2">Daily Graphic</span></i></span><i>,</i> nominations for the
district assembly elections would take place at the electoral area centres on
Wednesday, October 30, 2013.<br />
<br />
It said nominations for the unit committee elections would take place on
Thursday, October 31, 2013 at the same venues where nominations for the
assembly elections would take place.<br />
<br />
The letter urged candidates to attach three recent photographs (bust),
preferably with a red background, to the completed nomination forms.<br />
<br />
Qualified individuals interested in contesting the said elections may obtain
nomination forms from the deputy returning officers (special duties) at the
electoral area centres or from the <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_3">District
Office</span></span> of the EC at Odumase Krobo.<br />
<br />
In 2010, a Parliamentary Sub-Legislation Committee, acting on the <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_1">Local Government</span></span> Instrument
2010, LI 1983 (Creation of New District Electoral Areas and Designation of
Units), aligned seven electoral areas at Akuse, originally part of the Lower
Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region, to the Dangme West District
(now Shai-Osudoku District) in the Greater Accra Region.<br />
<br />
The areas were Zongo New Town, Akutue, Osukutu, Bungalow, Amedeka, Salon and
Natriku.<br />
<br />
That alignment sparked off a boundary dispute that led to the suspension of the
assembly elections in the entire municipality.<br />
<br />
Following from that, moves by the EC in 2010 to hold district level elections
were scuttled by the people, a development that led to the closure of the EC’s
office in the Manya Krobo District.<br />
<br />
The elections, however, took place at Natriku but not at the other six
communities.<br />
<br />
After one-and-a-half years (December 2010 to June 2012), the Supreme Court
declared the said LI 1983 unconstitutional and retained the electoral areas in
Lower Manya in the Eastern Region.<br />
<br />
Early this month, the Manya Krobo Traditional Council issued a seven-day
ultimatum to the EC to announce a date for the assembly elections, otherwise it
would declare “self-government” in the area.<br />
<br />
But the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Akwasi
Opong-Fosu, asked the chiefs and people to exercise restraint and allow due
process and state institutions to address their concerns.<br />
<br />
According to him, the government had notified the EC to organise district level
elections to elect assembly members for the area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Source:
Daily Graphic</span></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-3870113706591549592013-10-25T07:31:00.001-07:002013-10-25T07:31:42.122-07:00NPP must sustain pro-poor, rural stature <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A leading
member of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, has called
on the leadership of the party to do everything possible to sustain its
pro-poor and pro-rural stature to garner mass participation at the grassroot
level. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In so doing,
he has strongly suggested to the leadership of the party to scrap the idea of
selling forms for the polling station elections.<br />
<br />
He contends that since <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_2">political party</span></span>
work and activism were largely done in an enthusiastic spirit of sacrifice and
volunteerism, any form of commercialising party activities, particularly at the
polling station level must be discouraged.<br />
<br />
Sharing his views on aspects of internal election guidelines yet to be formally
released by the party to govern polling station, constituency, regional and
national elections of the party, Mr Asamoah-Boateng told the <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_1">Daily Graphic</span></span> that the NPP must
be mindful of its pro-poor and pro-rural stature to garner mass participation
at the grassroot level.<br />
<br />
“Asking members at the polling station level to pay for nomination forms and
filing fees, plus <span class="adtext"><span id="adtext_3">membership card</span></span>,
all at a cost of GHc15 within this short period, would create a lot of
hardship and will hinder people from joining the party at the grassroot level,”
he stated.<br />
<br />
According to Mr Asamoah-Boateng, “as the current guidelines stand, especially
at the constituency level, it will defeat the objective of opening up the party
for mass participation.”<br />
<br />
The party, he said, must be opened up to quality and credible people who want
to work for the party, saying; “the poor party member who has toiled for our
party all these years should not be shoved aside at this stage because of
money. It can be costly to the party in the general elections. Should you
insist, we are likely to get the "wrong people selected" because
someone with higher leadership ambitions paid for them in return for their support.”<br />
<br />
<b>NPP tradition</b><br />
<br />
According to Mr Asamaoh-Boateng, the NPP tradition has come into government
twice, and throughout, it has shown that the party was pro-poor and pro-rural.<br />
<br />
“From Dr K.A Busia’s Progress Party era, who is well noted for his rural
development and mass literacy programmes, to that of J.A Kufuor who is
noted to have introduced many social interventions, including NHIS, Mass Metro
Transit, School Feeding, Free Maternity Care among others, we can be sure of
the need for the party to continue with their pro-poor programmes,” he stated.<br />
<br />
In his view, the money talk, especially at the polling station level at
this time would not help the party during the general elections.<br />
<br />
Rather, he said, focus must be on organisation and relationship building; arguing
that what the NPP needed at this level were executives whose conduct,
utterances, organisation, hard work, humility and connections in the
communities would draw voters to the party.<br />
<br />
“We should aim at building a human-centred mass political party participation.<br />
<br />
<b>Independent election committee</b><br />
<br />
On the party’s internal elections, Mr Asamoah-Boateng advised the leadership of
the party to set up an independent election committee at the polling station
levels to supervise the elections.<br />
<br />
That, he said, would be in line with the party's principles of openness and
fairness to all contestants and officials.<br />
<br />
According to Mr Asamoah-Boateng, it is not enough to set up such committees
only at the national levels and leave the issue hanging when it comes to other elections,
particularly at the polling station levels.<br />
<br />
“The guidelines as released by the General Secretary of the NPP does not
capture what the National Executive Committee decided on,” he stated.<br />
<br />
It is a variation of what the NEC decided on, Mr Boateng opined, recalling that
“NEC decided at their last meeting that the guidelines governing the elections
should direct all constituencies to paste the list of polling station
members visibly at meeting grounds, but as one goes round, this has not
been done.”<br />
<br />
The whole idea is opennesss, and that is what the NEC is calling for, he
stated.<br />
<br />
In so doing, he advocated for all contestants and officers to have access to
delegates’ album at the polling station, whilst delegates were given the
opportunity to validate the displayed voters list.<br />
<br />
He appealed to the NEC to consider his suggestions, proposing that the National
Council of Elders must be immediately convened to discuss the matter.<br />
<br />
<b>Trips</b><br />
<br />
He said his recent trips to Wa, Tumu, Gomoa Tarkwa, Sunyani, Dadieso, Enchi,
Asankragwa, Konongo and Dunkwa-on-Offin where he interacted with party members
from the surrounding communities revealed a very chaotic situation at the
grassroot. Some constituencies and regions claim to have already completed
their albums when we are still waiting for the correspondence from the General
Secretary, he queried.<br />
<br />
He cautioned that there was a huge suspicion within the party that some of the
current executives were bent on retaining their positions at all cost.<br />
<br />
The feeling at the grassroots is very depressing for our party members, most of
whom were very scared to express contrary viewpoints in order not to be
perceived as "against."<br />
<br />
There are people going round spreading falsehood and it is dividing the party
and pitching members against each other. We should be able to work with each
other rather than against ourselves to achieve the 2016 objective.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Source:
Daily Graphic</span></div>
Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-56900948591583370432013-10-23T08:04:00.001-07:002013-10-23T08:04:12.492-07:00Effah-Dartey launches bid for NPP General Secretary<div dir="ltr"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (retd), has pledged to bring a new air of freshness and dynamism to the office of the General <span class=""><span id="adtext_1">Secretary position</span></span> of the party. <br> "My background as a previous presidential contestant, a former deputy minister of state and former MP for Berekum, assuming the office of the <span class=""><span id="adtext_2">General Secretary</span></span> would benefit the party tremendously," he stated when he launched his bid for the position at a ceremony in Accra yesterday.<br> <br> Mr Effah-Dartey, who contested the position of the flag bearer of the party in 2008 but was disqualified, stressed that his experience as a soldier and lawyer put him in a good stead. This is his second attempt at contesting the General Secretary position of the NPP.<br> <br> Speaking to the <span class=""><span id="adtext_3">Daily Graphic</span></span> soon after he had launched his bid for the position, he declared, "The NPP needs a new crop of leaders who can win the 2016 elections".<br> <br> Chanting a new slogan, "Alert and win," Captain Effah-Dartey called on party supporters to unite and work hard for victory in 2016.<br> <br> He stated that vigilance and alertness were vital and key to winning Election 2016.<br> <br> At the ceremony he told supporters that if elected, he would not make comments that would embarrass the party, especially in his interviews and speeches.<br> <br> It will be recalled that the party's General Secretary, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, was convicted for criminal contempt following some disparaging remarks he made against the presiding judge of the 2012 presidential election petition. His comments were considered by critics as embarrassing, not only to himself, but to the entire opposition party.<br> <br> Capt Effah Dartey told the Daily Graphic that his chances were very bright and would soon be visiting all the 275 constituencies with his message of '' alert and win.''<br> <br> He attributed lack of vigilance and alertness on the part of NPP rank and file as the central cause of the defeat in both the 2008 and 2012 elections.<br> <br> '' I disagree with those who have concluded that the NPP is winning in two regions out of 10,'' he told the Daily Graphic when asked of his view on the performance of NPP in the past elections.<br> <br> Rather, Mr Effah Dartey argued that vigilance on the part of the NPP was weak in those regions where it did not perform well.<br> <br> He was optimistic that the party would regain political power under his stewardship as the party's scribe.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%"> </span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-14264251056087971902013-10-22T05:23:00.001-07:002013-10-22T05:23:51.008-07:00Ghana 2012 Elections in Pictures<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>After successfully covering Ghana elections 2012 under<span> </span>"Enabling Peaceful Transparent And Credible Elections In Ghana Using New Media Project", </span></strong><span>African Elections Project (AEP) has launched <em>Ghana Elections 2012 in pictures</em> book which chronicles key memorable events and captivating moments that enlivened the otherwise calm country spanning the period before, during and after the elections.<br>(To Download the Book <a href="http://www.africanelections.org/Userfile/file/Ghana%202012%20Elections%20in%20Pictures.pdf">CLICK HERE</a>)</span></p> <br><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span>Ghana Elections 2012 In Pictures</span></em></strong><span> takes readers through colourful snapshots right from the political campaign trails, tours and rallies of the various political parties, through activities on the actual voting day to the closing moments of the whole electoral exercise.<br><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>The spotlight is also shined on all the leading contenders in the 2012 Ghana elections. Some of the high profile politicians belonging to the various political parties were also captured exercising their ballots. <br><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>The official results by the Electoral Commission of Ghana, key facts and figures about the polls, Basic Regional Electoral Statistics, some parliamentary candidates, the work of the various stakeholders such as election observers, civil society organizations (CSOs), journalists,security agencies, and the electoral commission as well as front pages of newspapers coverage of the elections are also captured in this picture book. <br><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>The outcome of the 2012 Ghana presidential election which was contested in the Supreme Court of Ghana by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the subsequent ruling by the Supreme Court upholding the declaration of John Dramani Mahama by the electoral commission as the validly elected president is all documented by the book. <br><br><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>The <strong><em>Ghana Elections 2012 in Pictures</em></strong> is a good read, helping readers to instantly connect to fond memories that characterized the general elections – both humorous moments that relaxed the country and tense moments that filled the atmosphere with an uneasy sense of foreboding. <br><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>According to Jerry Sam, the Project Director of African Elections Project (AEP), "a picture says a thousand words, and the beautiful collection of pictures in this book is intended to summarily tell the story of the 2012 general elections in Ghana visually, and serve as reference document for happenings around the elections". <br><br></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>African Elections Project (AEP), established in 2008 by the Penplusbytes Institute of ICT Journalism, is one of the continent's most authoritative elections information centres</span><a name="_GoBack" title="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">,</span><span> committed to particularly ensuring peaceful and successful elections on the African continent. <br> <br></span></p> <span>AEP has successfully covered elections in many African countries including Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Ghana and Togo. Other countries that the AEP has also successfully covered are Cote D'Ivoire, Niger, Mauritania, Malawi and Guinea. In 2010 The African Elections Project was selected as an innovative project during World Bank Innovation Fair held in South Africa. <br></span></div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-34787700375807577202013-10-22T02:16:00.001-07:002013-10-22T02:16:22.615-07:00Take election of polling station executives seriously -Dan Botwe<div dir="ltr"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">A leading member of the New Patriotic Party and Member of Parliament for Okere, Mr Dan Kweku Botwe, has asked the rank and file of his party to take the election of polling station executives much more seriously than ever before. <br> According to Mr Botwe, it is the polling station executives who primarily appoint polling agents in an election year, therefore, their job function must be taken very seriously.<br> <br> Sharing his perspective on "NPP politics and the road map to election 2016," he explained to the Daily Graphic that polling station executives were not likely to become polling agents in an election year, but since they had the additional responsibility of appointing polling agents, members of the party should endeavour to select very responsible polling station executives.<br> <br> "Once we get that right, the party will be on solid ground to contest and win election 2016," he declared.<br> <br> He was of the belief that all members would abide by the yet-to-be published regulations and guidelines that would govern the national exercise of the party.<br> <br> <b>Guidelines for election</b><br> <br> The party is yet to release to regional and constituencies offices a comprehensive guidelines to govern the conduct of internal elections from the polling stations to the national executive.<br> <br> It would be recalled that the NPP in a statement, said it had come to its notice that certain constituency and regional officers of the party had issued their own guidelines for elections but pointed out that it does not recognise such guidelines.<br> <br> The party, however, assured regional/constituency offices that all party officials and followers would receive comprehensive guidelines already prepared to ensure peaceful, credible and clean elections.<br> <br> <b>Calender of activities</b><br> <br> On the calender of activities released by the leadership of the party for internal elections, Mr Botwe described the action as the right way to go.<br> <br> It is the constitutional way of going about issues, he articulated, and urged all members of the party to be diligent and take the exercise much more seriously and participate in the process.<br> <br> <b>Advice</b><br> <br> On the current trend where some party stalwarts and members were sharing their political thoughts in the public sphere, Mr Botwe simply said "that is what it should be."<br> <br> In his view, there was nothing wrong with members coming out with ideas and suggestions to help the party win Election 2016.<br> <br> "We should encourage it. I never saw it as a crisis and we should not despise members of the party for expressing their views on party issues," he argued.<br> <br> According to Mr Botwe, the NPP prides itself as pacesetter of democracy in Ghana and the party has done it over the years.<br> <br> "We will not suppress anybody's interest", he assured, and called on party members to be proud of what they have done and actively get involved in party matters.<br> <br> "Now I can say with all pride that many other political parties are doing the same thing, opening up the public sphere for sharing ideas, thoughts and suggestions," he concluded.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-36941050883617596802013-10-21T08:15:00.001-07:002013-10-21T08:15:20.597-07:00Let’s broaden unity talks –CPP<div dir="ltr"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The General Secretary of the Convention People's Party, Mr Kobina Ivor Greenstreet, has reaffirmed that the CPP and the People's National Convention are re-engaging each other to conclude unity talks as soon as possible.<br> <br> He has, however, suggested that to make the talks comprehensive, there was the need not only to include the Progressive People's Party but the Great Consolidated Popular Party and the National Democratic Congress.<br> <br> In an interview with the <i>Daily Graphic,</i> Mr Greenstreet said that "both the GCPP and the NDC were broad left, similar to that of CPP and PNC, and therefore such an effort benefit those parties and Ghanaians in general."<br> <br> The CPP general secretary was responding to the disclosure by the Chairman of the PNC, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, in an interview with the <i>Daily Graphic</i> last week that <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://graphic.com.gh/Politics/pnc-shelves-early-congress.html&sa=U&ei=4YdkUoSWCaGK0AWwp4DYBQ&ved=0CAcQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNFBOzZn6A-jDhfWDfsna02CVbplJw"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">the PNC was shelving early congress</span></a> to conclude unity talk's agreement with the CPP.<br> <br> In that interview last week, the chairman of the PNC said the unity talks would also include the PPP so as to garner aggregate votes.<br> <br> However, in the view of Mr Greenstreet, to broaden the discussion, there was the need for other parties' participation, hence the need for the CPP and the PNC not only to include the PPP, but also the GCPP and the NDC.<br> <br> "It is not just about parties coming together, but more importantly, uniting in ideas for the progress of the nation."<br> <br> According to Mr Greenstreet, if the Ghanian electorates see that parties with similar ideas cannot unite, then they have the right to question their capacity to govern.<br> <br> The CPP general secretary explained that eight months of the 2012 Election Petition trial at the Supreme Court effectively placed governance in a limbo and said "if Ghana is to achieve key development objectives, then it calls for a collaborative approach."<br> <br> "Sometimes our political environment appears too divisive," Mr Greenstreet observed and wondered why too much partisan politics was occupying the public sphere such that as a nation, Ghana has its progress not being as swift as it ought to be.<br> <br> He, therefore, challenged political parties, both centre and broad left, to rather concentrate efforts at working together to assist the government achieve its national development objectives.<br> <br> He said the time to make national progress was now and that failure to do so was not in the interest of the nation.<br> <br> "While we are out of the election mood," Mr Greenstreet said, "this is the time to engage and present a united front.<br> <br> "We will take a cue from his leadership (Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, the PNC chair) and reinvigorate the unity talk process.<br> <br> "This, in my humble view, would be a significant step taken by the parties;" adding that "key aspect of any road map to Election 2016 should take us to better election results."<br> <br> "Anything we can do to take us to win Election 2016 or bring this into fruition is important," he concluded, but asked "how long can these splinter groups continue to work individually and yet expect to achieve results?"</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Source: Daily Graphic</span><b><span style="font-size:12pt"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%"> </span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-6327174340414355382013-10-21T08:08:00.001-07:002013-10-21T08:08:09.886-07:00We will advance Ghana’s course -NDP<div dir="ltr"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">The National Democratic Party (NDP) has the requisite leadership capabilities and track record to advance the development aspirations of the nation. <br> According to the party's General Secretary, Mr Hayford Francis Amoako, the leadership of the party is so determined to take the necessary risk, bold decisions and change the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian, in terms of providing social goods and services.<br> <br> In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Amoako, who was with Mr Owusu Bempah, the party's deputy communication director, stressed, "In our leader, the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the party has the competence and capability to deliver when given the mandate by the Ghanaian electorate to direct the affairs of state."<br> <br> He argued that through the 31st December Women's Movement, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings had empowered many women to acquire knowledge across the country, built numerous day care centres for early childhood education and, through her entrepreneurial development skill, created job opportunities for unemployed men and women all over the country.<br> <br> Among others, Mr Amoako pointed out that Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings had also built numerous health care centres, provided potable water and lobbied the OPEC forum to get three pieces of radiotherapy cancer treatment equipment for Ghana.<br> <br> Concerning international diplomacy, the NDP General Secretary pointed out that Nana Konadu Rawlings was on top of schedule, saying, "All this she had been doing when she was not a leader of any political party."<br> <br> Mr Amoako also said the party had in its fold numerous capable personalities who had accomplished so much for themselves in many fields of endeavours, but insisted that the party was not resting on its oars as it would work to surprise everybody come Election 2016.<br> <br> <b>NDP, force to reckon</b><br> <br> "We are a force to reckon with, and our party is solidly on the ground, working hard towards Election 2016," the NDP General Secretary said.<br> <br> He disclosed that the NDP was putting together a comprehensive campaign team to win the 2016 elections.<br> <br> Right now, according to Mr Amoako, the NDP was working hard to enhance the grass-roots membership drive.<br> <br> We have plans to contest all the 275 constituencies, he hinted, and said since the 2012 elections, the NDP had been organising from the grass roots, and that "for every party to be strong and effective, it needs to work harder from the grass roots."<br> <br> Currently, he said, the party had written to constituency executives to organise outreach programmes to sensitise members and try to win more supporters for the party.<br> <br> "We will cause the biggest surprise in 2016; we will win the elections," he declared.<br> <br> <b>Why break away from the NDC</b><br> <br> We left the NDC because we believe in probity, accountability and social justice which are missing in the NDC, Mr Amoako stated.<br> <br> So given the mandate to govern, the NDP would deliver on promises and track records.<br> <br> Our track records show we are clean and this had been buttressed by former President JJ Rawlings during our congress in Kumasi.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">NDP congress</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">According to Mr Amoako, the party would hold its national delegates' congress in the middle of next year.<br> <br> He recalled the party's successful congress held in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region on Saturday, October 13, 2012, which was attended by huge numbers, and promised that "We should expect a similar good show."<br> <br> He said the NDP was attracting a lot of floating voters, and, day in and day out, people were flocking the party headquarters in Accra seeking ID cards.<br> <br> Mr Amoako pointed out that Ghanaians had lost confidence in the current political leadership, arguing that "Corruption has become endemic and it is a major problem hindering national development.<br> <br> "We need to stamp our feet and deal firmly with corruption. When we do this, half of our national problems will be solved," the NDP general secretary stated.<br> <br> "I think we can do it as a society," he stated, but cautioned that we first needed a leadership that would take the necessary risk and bold decisions.<br> <br> He said not until "we get selfless leaders who will think more of the ordinary people and try to offer them the necessary support that would benefit them, "attaining national development goals will be difficult."<br> <br> Mr Amoako lamented that there was no social justice, probity and accountability in the body politic of the country, stressing that "politicians in government are just making empty promises because they fail to deliver."<br> <br> "People are voted into office to deliver on their promises but they turn round to do otherwise," he stated.<br> <br> On the contrary, Mr Amoako gave the assurance that "We have been tried and tested. Our leadership thinks about the ordinary Ghanaians; we are not corrupt".<br> <br> <b>Economy</b><br> <br> Concerning the economy, he said the country was faced with very harsh conditions which impacted majority of pockets.<br> <br> He also said corruption was very rife, which appeared to becoming endemic in the society.<br> <br> "If you vote for a leader, you do not expect him to dip his hands into the coffers of the nation," he stated, and expressed with pain that the opposite seemed to be what was happening.<br> <br> He called on Ghanaians to believe in the agenda of the NDP, which is hinged on the social democratic principles and the ideals of former President JJ Rawlings.<br> <br> He said the principles of probity, accountability and social justice had been derailed by others, though they professed to live by them.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> <br><br></div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-69415138739058341442013-10-17T04:06:00.001-07:002013-10-17T04:06:47.501-07:00PNC shelves early congress<div dir="ltr"> <p class="MsoNormal">The People's National Convention is shelving early congress to conclude unity talks agreement with the Convention People's Party. In line with this goal, the PNC is hoping to consummate the unity ties by November this year and proceed to develop a common road map to Election 2016.<br> <br> Sharing some party insights with the<i> Daily Graphic </i>in an interview, the Chairman of the PNC, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, expressed confidence that "this time round, we are so determined to achieve the unity deal within a limited time frame".<br> <br> He disclosed that the PNC was also exploring the need to bring along the Progressive People's Party to become an integral part of the unity talks.<br> <br> I sincerely hope they will come along, he told the<i> Daily Graphic</i>, and called on all like-minded supporters to rally behind the unity talks to achieve the set goals.<br> <br> In the view of Alhaji Ramadan, the three parties need to garner aggregate votes.<br> <br> "There may be certain sacrifices, but we need to do that if we mean well.<br> <br> "At this stage, we are calling on members of the party to rally behind it," he stated.<br> <br> PNC division<br> <br> Concerning divisions within the PNC, Alhaji Ramadan argued that in every party, there were pockets of misunderstanding, but insisted that the PNC was not divided.<br> <br> "Our general ranks are closed. We hold meetings and we are in touch with our executive members in the regions," he stated.<br> <br> We are doing everything possible to unite the few individuals who were at loggerheads during our last national delegates congress, he told the <i>Daily Graphic</i>.<br> <br> "It started during the congress," Alhaji Ramadan recalled and said "I thought it would die out easily but it festered on. I made it a project and I am happy to say that today, there is peace within the party."<br> <br> In the view of Alhaji Ramadan, internal contest among party members should not bring divisions, and disclosed that all were ready to lay down their tools for unity.<br> <br> From now on, we will engage ourselves primarily to engage the CPP and PPP to work together towards Election 2016.<br> <br> "We are also visiting the constituencies to strengthen them. We are staying in touch with our people so that things can work better," Alhaji Ramadan stated.<br> <br> PNC's stunted growth<br> <br> "I am happy that the party still exists," Alhaji Ramadan declared when he was asked why the party was not growing as expected. The PNC, which takes it roots from the People's National Party under the presidency of Dr Hilla Limann (1979-1981), has been around since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1992. It currently has a lone member in Parliament.<br> <br> The PNC chairman, however, indicated that he was not happy that the party was not growing the way it should. He called on the Ghanaian electorate to be proud of PNC as a modest party.<br> <br> "The party still has a future, he stated, and pointed out that those who left the party because they were not happy were now returning to its fold.<br> <br> "I hope we will maintain peace and unity in the party," he stressed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Limann legacy</p> <p class="MsoNormal">According to Alhaji Ramadan, the nation had not been fair to the late former President Hilla Limann.<br> <br> "I want the nation to look at what Limann stood for. The founder of the PNC was virtually a pauper, simple and modest. He led a simple life and was ever ready to contribute his widow's mite to improve the lives of others," he told the <i>Daily Graphic.<br> </i><br> Extolling his virtues, Alhaji Ramadan said Dr Limann was determined to see the upgrading of poor people in society and sought to bridge the gap between the north and the south.<br> <br> "In Dr Limann's mindset, nobody should play a subordinate role, and each should be his or her neighbour's keeper," Alhaji Ramadan recalled.<br> <br> As the President of the country, Alhaji Ramadan also pointed out; Dr Limann showed integrity and modesty in all his endeavours and lived a clean life, an example worthy of emulation by all other political leaders.<br> <br> He insisted that "We, members of the PNC fraternity, are keeping faith with him and the party he suffered to establish. When you hear PNC, the name Limann resonates with it and we are very happy for that".<br> <br> He said though a hall of residence had been named after him at the University of Ghana, Legon, and a senior high school complex built in his honour in his home town, these were not enough to honour him.<br> <br> "More needs to be done and we want the image of Limann to be enhanced and uplifted," Alhaji Ramadan appealed.<br> <br> Governance Issue<br> <br> Concerning what the party was doing in between elections, Alhaji Ramadan stated that "We want to play a neutral role in governance and work to ensure unity for the nation".<br> <br> He gave the assurance that the PNC would criticise government actions and policies when it was necessary.<br> <br> Our foremost consideration to criticise is to build the nation and not to destroy it.<br> <br> The PNC has one member in Parliament, and according to Alhaji Ramadan, he will continue to work hard on the side of the majority to deepen good governance in the country.<br> <br> "We will continue to advise him on party policies to ensure that he stays focused in Parliament and works in the interest of his constituents," he stated.<br> <br> Looking forward<br> <br> According to Alhaji Ramadan, the PNC was looking for the opportunity to come into governance to implement its prudent policies for the wellbeing of the nation.<br> <br> He said the party had evolved and generated many policy programmes that had been implemented by other governments, including the National Health Insurance idea, improving school feeding content and the idea of a ministry for women."<br> <br> "Ghanaians should give us the opportunity to serve the nation,' Alhaji Ramadan stated, and stressed that "We want people to bear in mind that whatever good thinking we have about the nation, we will share it with Ghana."<br> <br> We believe in free education and stand by it.<br> <br> On the Heritage Fund, Alhaji Ramadan said it would best serve Ghanaians when it was used to improve the human resource of the country, saying, "Keeping it for the future use is not the best."<br> <br> Alhaji Ramadan expressed the hope that all the social interventions being implemented would not collapse but be sustained.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Source: Daily Graphic</p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-3836881177251228522013-10-16T07:47:00.001-07:002013-10-16T07:47:00.759-07:00E.C needs strong PR to regain public confidence - CODEO<div dir="ltr"> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Paul Abrampah of Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) says there is growing skepticism that needs to be addressed if the country's Electoral Commission (E.C) is to gain confidence of politicians and Ghanaians in general.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">According to Paul Abrampah, the 2012 presidential election petition has affected the EC, noting that the Commission has "lost credibility" after the hearing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The New Patriotic Party (NPP) sought to use the Supreme Court to overturn the E.C's declaration of John Mahama as winner of 2012 presidential elections.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He said the rulings of some Supreme Court judges identified some challenges in the operations of the Commission. He mentioned problems associated with the recruitment of temporal officers who supervised the polls.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Political parties in the country have also cast doubt on the Electoral Commission's ability to implement reforms following the challenges which confronted the 2012 polls. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Commission is headed by Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The National Democratic Congress (NDC)'s Kofi Portuphy, Chairman of People's National Convention (PNC) Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan and MP for Manhyia East, Dr Matthew Opoku Prepmeh, who spoke for the New Patriotic Party, observed experience has shown that the Commission is not amenable to change.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NPP MP told Joy FM's <span style>Top Story</span> despite an agreement reached by all parties, E.C refused to go to Parliament with a constitutional instrument that would have allowed Ghanaians abroad to register and vote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He said his party chairman in 2011, wrote six letters to the Commission. None was acknowledged, he claimed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He mentioned how the Commission obtained funds to pilot a biometric registration process but was hesitant in doing a national exercise</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">But the E.C maintains it operates an "open-door policy" that allows the Inter-Party Advisory Committee to make inputs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Speaking to Joy FM's <span style>Top Story</span>, Paul Abrampah who also works with the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) said irrespective of the outcome of the election petition, it was clear, there were challenges with the E.C that needs to be tackled "holistically".</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He said it is time for the E.C to put up a campaign to regain lost confidence.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">"E.C will have to put up a good PR to bring back the integrity and respect that people have for it," he said.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: myjoyonline</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-90613572526940349722013-10-16T06:46:00.001-07:002013-10-16T06:46:58.777-07:00NCCE criticised for failing in duties<div dir="ltr"> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Legal Advocacy Foundation, a non-governmental organisation promoting public interest in legalities, has expressed disappointment in the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for failing in its mandate to educate and explain to the general public the verdict of the Supreme Court on the 2012 election petition.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><br> It said it was the civic responsibility of the NCCE to educate the populace on the legalities exercised by the Supreme Court judges, as well as the judgement but lamented the situation where the NCCE had remained in its sheath "since August 29, 2013, the day the verdict was delivered".<br> <br> The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the foundation, Lawyer Dr Maurice Kwabena Ampaw, who stated this at a press conference in Kumasi, said, "This is very disappointing and unfortunate. The NCCE has failed in its mandate to explain to the public the nitty gritty of the verdict of the Supreme Court."<br> <br> On that note, he called on the NCCE, the National Peace Council (NPC), traditional and religious leaders, foreign agencies and civil society organisations that had the nation at heart to support the noble cause of explaining the verdict to the ordinary Ghanaian.<br> <br> "In order for the masses to be in tune with such legal issues as the court's verdict, it is imperative for relevant agencies to school the public adequately so that pertinent issues could easily be appreciated without much difficulty," Dr Ampaw stated.<br> <br> He hinted that the foundation would soon file a suit at the law court to challenge the constitutionality of the Supreme Court (SC), the highest court of the land.<br> <br> According to the foundation, challenging the constitutionality of the court would help clear all doubts and ambiguities in the minds of the ordinary Ghanaian who had amply demonstrated their readiness to be part of a legal exercise and the rule of law.<br> <br> Dr Ampaw said the challenge was necessitated by the verdict of the SC on the 2012 presidential election petition.<br> <br> In the petition hearing, the petitioners – Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, all of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), went to the SC to seek annulment of votes and declare the first petitioner, Akufo-Addo, President.<br> <br> Dr Ampaw said though the powers of the SC were enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, the supremacy of the law emanated from the citizenry (the people) and was implicitly implied as well in the same Constitution, and quoted Article 1 (25) to buttress his point.<br> <br> To him, the SC could have asked counsel for both the petitioners and the respondents to appear before it for an agreed short period of two weeks to engage the court in a legal argument rather than the eight-month long evidential proceedings coupled with legal addresses.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-50165398492312235652013-10-16T06:42:00.001-07:002013-10-16T06:42:04.593-07:00‘Increasing trend of rejected ballots worrying’<div dir="ltr"> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">The increasing trend of rejected ballot votes, if not checked, could affect the outcome of elections in the country. Out of the six general elections held in the country since 1992, there had been 1,035,905 rejected votes. <br> This gloomy outlook was revealed at a press conference to unveil the logo of a policy think tank, the Institute of Democracy Education (IDE), Ghana, in Ho last Friday.<br> <br> The IDE, which is dedicated to accelerating democratic dispensation and local governance for national development, has the vision of becoming a leading think-tank in the region and beyond.<br> <br> Introducing the new logo to the media, Mr Harrison Kofi Belley, the Executive Director of IDE, said, for instance, the figure of 251,720 which constituted 2.29 per cent of the total votes cast in the last general elections was more than the general votes of the other six presidential candidates which was 1.56 per cent, adding that these huge figures could affect the outcome of elections in the country."<br> <br> To strengthen transparency and integrity of the electoral process, and to promote civic and voter education, he said that focus must be on the trend of rejected ballot votes in general elections which was becoming a third force in the country.<br> <br> He called for proper civic and voter education to produce a democratic citizenry.<br> <br> He was of the view that the adoption of a liberal constitution and the conduct of elections did not mean that Ghana was a democracy while we allowed utterances to permeate our actions in the resolution of conflicts.<br> <br> "We cannot, and should not, content ourselves with the adoption of a liberal constitution and the conduct of elections and conclude that we are now a democracy while we allow intolerance to permeate and control our public and public actions in the resolution of conflicts", he said.<br> <br> Mr Belley noted that the IDE intended to embark on a project to enhance electoral peace and credibility in the up-coming 2014 district assemblies elections in the country based on lessons drawn from the December 2012 elections.<br> <br> IDE, he said, would conduct its programmes through seminars and workshops in institutions and communities, with opinion leaders and students in the Volta Region.<br> <br> The Executive Director stated that they had started running a weekly public education programme at Hope Station on 93.1 FM, a Ho-based radio station, on Tuesdays between 2.00p.m. and 3.00p.m.<br> <br> Unveiling the logo and name of the IDE, Mr Kofi Tenasu Gbedemah, a civil society activist and Board Chairman of IDE, who stressed on political tolerance, advised the people to co-operate with the various stakeholders in the electoral process for peace to prevail.<br> <br> He said politicians must avoid provocation or use of offensive language to enhance the political dispensation for national development.<br> <br> "There is a mounting sense that a culture of intolerance and acrimony seems to be taking root at an alarming rate, adding that, "the politics of insults and personality attacks appear to be pervading our political discourse", Mr Gbedemah said.<br> <br> He cautioned the people not to take the peace and stability that the country had enjoyed over the years for granted because "irresponsible conduct can undermine the status quo".<br> <br> The Commanding Officer of the 66th Artillery Regiment, Lt. Col. Seidu Abbass, who spoke on improving relationship between the military and civilians, said it was the avowed interest of everybody to see that the peace in Ghana is not disturbed in anyway.<br> <br> Lt. Col. Abbass cautioned the youth to eschew violence since all the state institutions were prepared to avert any disturbances or breach of the peace with the security forces on high alert to move in to crush and deal with any disturbances.<br> <br> " So the youth who have explosive energy should be cautioned to resist the temptation of being lured into any negative acts, for you will have no excuse if you fail to make judicious use of your time", the Commanding Officer of the 66th Artillery Regiment said.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-3479287720339491632013-10-14T07:38:00.001-07:002013-10-14T07:38:10.583-07:00PPP fights for E-Voting in 2016<div dir="ltr"> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">The Progressive People's Party (PPP) has called for the adoption of an electronic voting system in the 2016 general elections to avoid the challenges the nation faced in the December 2012 election.<br> <br> It said unless something fundamental was done to remove the human interventions in the current process, elections in Ghana would continue to be conducted under questionable circumstances, real or perceived to the detriment of the nation's emerging democracy.<br> <br> Representatives of the PPP stated the position forcefully at a two-day IEA Post-Election Workshop on the theme "Towards Transparent and Acceptable Elections in Ghana: A Review of Ghana's Electoral System" held at Akosombo in the eastern region over the weekend.<br> <br> National Secretary of the PPP, Mr Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, argued that full electronic voting would remove the need for an elaborate pink sheet, reduce the large numbers of temporary staff recruited by the Electoral Commission (EC); remove the transportation of electoral materials and the unacceptably large numbers of spoilt ballot which effectively disenfranchise about 251,000 voters in the last election.<br> <br> He said, e-voting would reduce the cost of maintaining party polling agents, guarantee credible election results and largely reduce the cumbersome nature of our electoral process, emphasising the need for early voter education, the adoption of appropriate and robust technology and the leadership to promote the new process.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-42808628133369714502013-10-14T06:48:00.001-07:002013-10-14T06:48:51.586-07:00IEA, Political Parties hold forum on electoral reforms<div dir="ltr"> <p class="">The Ghana Political Parties Programme (GPPP) under the auspices of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has initiated a non-partisan engagement towards electoral reforms in the country.</p> <p class="">The IEA-GPPP initiative, following on the heels of the Supreme Court's ruling on the landmark election petition trial, is to provide a platform for constructive review of the current electoral system and offer practical recommendations to serve as inputs for consideration.</p> <p class="">Opening the workshop at Akosombo on Saturday, Dr. John Kwakye, IEA Senior Fellow, said the history of Ghana's Fourth Republic showed that no political party can stay in power forever.</p> <p class="">"It is therefore imperative that we contribute our quota in dealing with the challenges of our electoral system and to create the peaceful and enabling environment for all of us to thrive whether in government or in opposition," he stated.</p> <p class="">Dr Kwakye explained that the Supreme Court verdict had laid bare some challenges of the nation's electoral system which could not be glossed over.</p> <p class="">"Whiles we commend our Electoral Commission for its role in election administration since the inception of our Fourth Republic, we are all aware that there are several challenges with our electoral system.</p> <p class="">"Indeed, the results of Ghana's 2012 election were challenged on grounds of irregularities, although it is conceded that elections all over the world are fraught with some amount of irregularities", he remarked.</p> <p class="">He said the IEA-GPPP initiative was based on consensus by the General Secretaries and National Chairmen of the various political parties.</p> <p class="">Dr Kwakye said the Institute was working closely with the EC to ensure that consensus reached would be adopted as the contribution of the IEA-GPPP towards improving the integrity of Ghana's electoral system.</p> <p class="">In a paper entitled: "The 2012 Ghana Elections and the calls for electoral reforms," Mr Gabriel Pwamang, a legal practitioner, explained that the overall objective of a democratic electoral process was to ensure that the results of the election would be seen as the free expression of the choice of the electorate.</p> <p class="">He said Ghana was striving to maintain its membership of the democratic free world and that there were some internationally recognized benchmarks that were often used to assess countries and the efficiency of their electoral process.</p> <p class="">Mr Pwamang noted that even though the disappointment and challenges regarding the 2012 Presidential election were fresh in the minds of the petitioners. "We need to maintain our calm and review our electoral process in a comprehensive manner that takes account of its strengths as well, if we are not to throw the baby away with the bath water.</p> <p class=""> </p> <p class="">"After all, our elections system has brought us this far and in the immediate past won us great commendations internationally and admiration for our EC officials".</p> <p class="">He identified the foundation of the rules and procedures that currently regulate the electoral process as the 1992 Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1992 (Act 284) as amended; and the Presidential Elections Act 1992 (Act 285).</p> <p class="">Other legislations were the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2012 (CI.72), Public Elections Regulations 2012 (CI. 75) and the Supreme Court (Amendment) Rules 2012 (C.I 74).</p> <p class="">Mr Pwamang, a former General Secretary of the PNC, noted that as humans there was always room for improvement and in the case of the EC the concern was that after achieving so much over the years their performance in the last election was not that commendable.</p> <p class="">He noted that the last minute creation of districts and constituencies had everything to do with the difficulties, and also the fact that the country was implementing voting with biometric devices for the first time.</p> <p class="">"I am confident that if we undertake the needed reforms in the electoral process we can regain our record as a nation with a robust electoral system," he said.</p> <p class="">The Akosombo forum was held on the general theme: "Towards transparent and acceptable elections in Ghana: A review of Ghana's electoral system".</p> <p class="">It was attended by representatives of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Peoples National Convention (PNC), National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP). Others were the Progressive People's Party (PPP), and Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).</p> <p class="">Mr David Adeeze-Kangah, former EC Deputy Chairman, chaired the forum.</p> Source: GNA </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-27777172429373838372013-10-11T05:52:00.001-07:002013-10-11T05:52:42.265-07:00Electoral modalities caused NPP’s defeat not party structure - Political Scientist<div dir="ltr"> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A political science professor says there is nothing wrong with the current status quo in the NPP where party officers are elected from the grassroot first before finally electing flagbearer despite a new proposal to do the reverse.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He believes the country's electoral system is the cause of the New Patriotic Party's defeat in the 2012 elections.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">His comment comes after a crucial National Executive Council meeting Thursday finally threw out a contentious proposal for an early congress to elect a flagbearer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Head of the Political Science Department of the KNUST, Professor Amoako Baah, says the electoral modalities are the cause of the NPP's defeat and not the party's internal structure.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He says most people in the party already believe the party won the December 2012 presidential elections despite being declared losers by the Electoral Commission.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">This is why the party went to the Supreme Court for eight months to challenge the declaration of the Electoral Commission in favour of the incumbent John Mahama, he adds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">In view of this widely held position in the NPP, the party's internal structure is okay, he noted.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">"If it is not broken and you try to fix it then you are trying to break it, he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">For weeks the opposition NPP has been buffeted by internal wrangling over a new proposal defended in the media by some national leaders such as the Chairman Jake Obetsibi-Lamptey and the Deputy Minority leader in Parliament Dominic Nutiwul.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">They contend choosing a flagbearer first will help "superintend on the choice of the grassroot people and make sure the right people are put there".</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A National Executive Council meeting was held last week to scrutinize the proposal. But the meeting witnessed angry party youths spontaneously demonstrating against the proposal at the party head office.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">They say an early congress is meant to favour former presidential candidate Nana Akuffo-Addo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The two-time flagbearer enjoyed a surge in popularity after leading personalities in the country and a number of world leaders praised him for using the court to address his dissatisfaction after losing the 2012 presidential elections</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Dissenting voices such as former Minister for Information Stephen Asamoah Boateng also believe if Nana Akuffo-Addo gets elected, it will help the current national executives to also get re-elected and increase their political life span despite failing to get the party into power last December.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">But after Thursday's NEC meeting ,the status quo prevails.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: myjoyonline</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-43521567983095019282013-10-11T04:42:00.001-07:002013-10-11T04:42:58.444-07:00NPP outlines timetable for nationwide elections<div dir="ltr"> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The New Patriotic Party has set March 1, 2014 for the elections of party's national executive.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The decision was taken at a National Executive Committee meeting held at its headquarters in Accra on Thursday, a press release signed by the party's Deputy National Secretary Abdulai Fuhlanba has said.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The decision brings to rest the brouhaha surrounding the elections of party executives at the various levels after a proposal suggesting a top-down approach in organizing the elections was shot down by some members of the party.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The other elections would be as follows:</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Polling Stations and Electoral Areas Education, Compilation of Polling Station register and validation will be from 11th to 30th October 2013.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Elections at Polling Stations and Electoral Areas start from 1st November 2013 and would be completed on 30th November 2013.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Constituency Elections (nationwide) except Eastern Region is scheduled for 14th December 2013. Elections in the Eastern Region will be on 15th December 2013.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The completion of Constituency Executive Appointees is on 28th December 2013.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Regional Executive Elections have been fixed on 25th January 2014. The completion of Regional Executive Appointees is on 8th February 2014</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Constituency and Regional Albums should be completed on 4th January and 10th February 2014 respectively.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">By 28th January 2014 the National Albums, except Regional Executives, would be completed. Regional Executive Albums should be ready by 12th February 2014.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Latest by 15th January 2014 all External Branch Elections should have been completed</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The party expects the External Delegates list to be submitted to the Headquarters on 21st January 2014.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: myjoyonline</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-77027712452732200722013-10-07T05:16:00.001-07:002013-10-07T05:16:16.176-07:00NPP youth rallies support for Alan Kyeremanten<div dir="ltr"> <table class="" style border="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr style> <td style="width:6.25in;padding:0in" valign="top" width="600"> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">A youth group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Brong-Ahafo Region has called on party members to give Mr Alan Kyeremanten the nod to lead the party to victory in the 2016 general election.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The group, known as "Operation 2016," said the former Trade and Industry Minister in the President John Agyekum Kufuor administration and a presidential aspirant in 2007 and 2010 stood the chance to lead the party to resounding victory in 2016.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Members of the group comprise NPP supporters drawn from the 16 constituencies in the Brong-Ahafo Region and is working to ensure that the NPP regains power in 2016.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">At a news conference in Sunyani on Friday, the group explained that research conducted by members in the region revealed that though Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo was popular in the party, the voting masses and floating voters preferred Mr Kyeremanten.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Mr Ebenezer Anane, Secretary of "Operation 2016," who read a statement signed by Mr Francis Kwaku Barnie, group chairman and former Sunyani East Constituency Chairman of the NPP, said the NPP needed a presidential candidate with charismatic leadership qualities to lead the party in 2016.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">"Mr Kyeremanten's charismatic leadership style could win voters, especially the floating ones at the grassroots level," he said, adding that it would cause the party another doom if it maintained the 2012 presidential candidate for 2016.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Interim executive members of the group include Nana Gyimah, Berekum East Polling Station Chairman, Mr Richard Sarkodie, Asunafo North Eletcoral Area Co-ordinator, Alhaji Wahab, NPP Wenchi first Vice chairman and Stephen Takyi Ntiamoah, Tano North Electoral Area Co-ordinator.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Source: GNA</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="" style="text-align:justify"> </p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-26301395486972825312013-10-07T05:11:00.001-07:002013-10-07T05:11:34.038-07:00Media should foster national unity - NCCE<div dir="ltr"> <p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Mr. Haruna Huseini Sulemana, Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged the Ghanaian media to desist from undermining democracy through the manipulation of the minds of the people. </span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">He said though the country had remained peaceful after the Supreme Court's verdict on the election petition, the sustenance of lasting peace would depend on the kind of information the media would give out to the public.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Mr. Sulemani made these remarks at a post-verdict education durbar at Busa in the Wa Municipality of the region organized by the NCCE headquarters in collaboration with the Municipal directorate of the Commission on Thursday.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">He appealed to the media to support in overcoming the petty problems that were still prevalent after the Supreme Court's ruling on the election petition.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The durbar was part of activities lined up by the NCCE to educate Ghanaians and political parties on the need to maintain peace before and after the pronouncement of the Court's verdict.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The Supreme Court on August 29 ruled in favour of President John Dramani Mahama in the petition filed by three prominent members of the New Patriotic Party challenging the President's victory in the December 2012 Presidential election.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">The NCCE Regional Director was also of the view that politicians had to take part of the blame for the infractions that were being witnessed in the media.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">He said if political actors did not talk on issues that would build society but rather dwelt on those that would divide the people, media personnel could totally not be faulted for the information they gave out for public consumption.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Mr. Kassim Sumani, Wa Municipal Director of the Commission said Ghanaians needed peace to develop to the level of other countries.</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">"We must therefore be wary of people who never want peace and would rather wake up dogs and cats from their sleep."</span></p> <p class="" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12pt">Source: GNA</span></p> <p class=""> </p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-72349497075279770212013-10-07T04:00:00.001-07:002013-10-07T04:00:26.934-07:00Feature: Independence of Electoral Commission under threat?<div dir="ltr"> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The call for the legalisation of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) is a threat to the independence of Ghana's Electoral Commission and should not be entertained.</span></p> <p><span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">IPAC cannot be transformed into a legal entity since it will undermine the authority of the commission. It must, therefore, remain an advisory body.</span></span></p> <p><span class=""><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Electoral reforms are necessary</span></b></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Electoral reforms are necessary but we must avoid the situation where political parties and outsiders try to dictate to the EC. It is recipe for disaster.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Proper behaviours by political parties are crucial for true and a fairly good election and until all the actors behave well, Ghana will continue to search for a bullet proof electoral system.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">One core fact to understand as we struggle to reform our electoral systems is that politicians are "electoral thieves;" they lookout for loopholes in the electoral system and take advantage of that. Politicians seek to play electoral games to their advantage, even during internal contests for party and flagbearer positions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Since the 1992 Elections, electoral reforms have become a four-year ritual; the EC constantly scans the electoral environment by constantly monitoring its operations in order to improve upon the electoral process.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The last of such special IPAC meetings was held at the Volta Hotel, Akosombo in May, 2009. The special IPAC meeting was facilitated by KAB Governance Consult (KGC) and sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) under the theme, "Safeguarding the Integrity of the Ballot Project of the Commission."</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The EC Chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, described the meeting as the continuation of interactions being held by the EC to review Election 2008.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The meeting was dubbed "Reflection Forum on the December 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections," and it provided the opportunity for the EC and political parties to appraise the conduct of the December 2008 Elections.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It was also to determine appropriate lessons that should inform the conduct of future elections, with the view to enhancing the credibility, transparency and fairness of the electoral process.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It also holds expanded IPAC meetings involving the commissioner responsible for the region and political parties, parliamentary candidates, security officials, civil society organisations, National Commission for Civic Education, media, faith based-organisations that observe elections, the Commissioners and domestic election observers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Akosombo special IPAC meeting focused on three aspects of Election 2008:</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">i. What was done well, which needed to be sustained?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ii. What was not done well and needed to be improved?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">iii. What was so bad that it needed to be discarded?</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The National Democratic Congress, (NDC) represented by Mr Huudu Yahaya, its Vice Chairman, stressed the need for a new voters' register for election 2012; that political parties should be furnished with details of voter transfer list.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Other suggestions by the NDC were that the EC must provide tracking sheets during registration; respond timely to petitions received in order to engender confidence in the process.</span></p> <p><span class=""><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Erring EC officials should be sanctioned</span></b></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NDC also suggested that EC staff, at the level of directors and below, should be rotated intermittently. EC staff must also be neutral and erring EC officials should be sanctioned in a timely manner.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">On recruitment of temporary staff, the NDC suggested that it must be done early; there should be a manpower audit to enable the commission determine 'capacity gaps' and in addition, the EC must brief the parties on how they select companies that print the ballot papers. This is due to the ink marks that were inadvertently printed on some ballots.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NDC noted that political parties should be given copies of the voters' register and the special voters' list, and called for a situational report on the implementation of the recommendations of the (Kangah) committee that investigated allegations of the 'bloated' voters' register.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The party decried the poor quality of indelible ink used in some cases in the elections, especially during the special voting, and the inaction of security agencies in dealing with complaints.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The New Patriotic Party (NPP), represented by the then General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, generally agreed with the concerns expressed by the NDC.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He noted that the commission's relationship with the political parties needed to be improved, especially, in the area of communication.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NPP suggested that the EC should make its calendar of events available to political parties early in the year for effective planning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The party called for improved security arrangements on Election Day. Any new arrangement should deal with the 'threat of machomen'.</span></p> <p><span class=""><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">An inter-party back-up security</span></b></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He invited political parties to consider an inter-party back-up security arrangement to deal with lapses of the state security apparatus on Election Day. The NPP also called upon the EC to disband all temporary booths.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">On the collation of election results, the NPP called for a review due to alleged claims of chaos at the collation centers; and, therefore, recommended a two-step collation process, with the first one being done at the electoral level before the final collation at the constituency collation centers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He called for intensified electoral education to help reduce 'spoilt ballot'</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NPP stated that the EC must undertake electronic registration and electronic voting as a way of improving the electoral process.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He added that electronic registration should ideally be in place prior to Election.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NPP suggested that political parties should be given copies of the transfer, absentee and special voters' lists.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NPP also asked the EC to act promptly on complaints and objections raised by political parties.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Convention Peoples Party was represented by Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, its General Secretary, who also agreed with the sentiments of both the NDC and NPP.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The CPP, however, suggested that the procedure for replacing lost ID cards should be made easier to minimise the attraction of such persons with lost cards to register anew.</span></p> <p><span class=""><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Review of voter populations</span></b></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The CPP called for a review of voter populations at the various polling centers to ensure efficiency and fairness, and that the EC should endeavour to have regular meetings with political parties and schedule definite timeframes which are to be made known to all parties.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The CPP suggested that registration processes should be completed way ahead of elections; there should be a clearer identification of polling agents at the various centres and that the EC must expose wrongdoers in its midst and must punish same.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The EC must publicise polling station results.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Peoples National Convention (PNC) was represented by Mr Bernard Mornah, the General Secretary, who stated that there was the need to train security personnel on election day activities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">On the media, the PNC, while commending the positive role played by the media in support of Election 2008, however, pointed out that a few media organisations misconducted themselves through unprofessional reportage that created undue tension and confusion in the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">He, further, made a case for training the media in subsequent elections.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">On how to enhance public support, the PNC stressed the importance of public support for political parties as being critical to the consolidation of multi–party democracy in Ghana and asked for an expedited process to bring enhanced public support into fruition.</span></p> <p><span class=""><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Intensification of voter education</span></b></span><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The PNC called for the intensification of voter education, which the party noted was very critical and needed to be increased so as to minimise the high incidence of rejected ballots.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The PNC also asked the EC to consider the use of the forefinger rather than the thumb for voting in election; the need to clarify and strengthen EC-IPAC relationship and proposed that the voting process should start at 6:00 am and close at 4:00 pm to enable counting before dark.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), represented by Mr Bede Zeiding called for a completely new voters' register.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The DFP also called for an improvement in the quality of indelible ink, and suggested that the ink should be applied on the cuticle rather than the 'immersion' which messed a lot of ballot papers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Other parties which participated are; the Democratic People's Party, Reform Patriotic Democrats, Great Consolidated Peoples Party (GCPP), Ghana National Party (GNP) and a representative of the independent presidential candidate, Mr Amuafo Yeboah.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">In view of the recent developments in Ghana's electoral systems, I highly suggest that democratic stakeholders collaborate with organisers of the BRIDGE Fellowship programme to build the capacity of political parties' representatives.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">BRIDGE is a partnership between the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), International IDEA, International Foundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Electoral Assistance Division (UNEAD).</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The BRIDGE Fellowship trainees undergo a modular professional development programme with particular focus on electoral processes to promote internationally accepted principles of democracy and good electoral practice.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Let us approach the electoral reform process with caution, we should stop the personality attacks and focus on the main issues.</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-45239074999787297902013-10-07T03:32:00.001-07:002013-10-07T03:32:07.555-07:00Rawlings: NDC must clean-up or risk 2016<div dir="ltr"> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Former President Jerry John Rawlings has warned that unless the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) undertook crucial reforms by enlarging its electoral college, victory for the party in the 2016 elections will be illusive. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">"Our party the NDC needs some significant reform to face the challenges of the dynamic global political climate. Our current internal structures need to be reviewed. I do not think the necessary reforms required in order to clean up the image of the party are being treated with the urgency they require. If we do not act in cleaning up the party, we will, as I warned before, face a problem in 2016", he warned.<br> <br> For Rawlings, who is also founder of the NDC, an electoral college of 20,000 delegates was not representative enough of the views, choices and aspirations of the masses of the people that represent the grassroots base of the party. He believes a number not less than 150,000 delegates will do for the party.<br> <br> "The decision of the NDC must not emanate from only 20,000 people. We want 150,000. Give us 150,000", he maintained.<br> <br> Ex-president Rawlings was delivering the keynote address as Special Guest of Honour at the 12th edition of Deza, the annual festival of the people of Dzodze in the Volta region on Saturday.<br> <br> The time, he said, had come for the NDC to enlarge its electoral college to a larger group of people which was a better representative of various local communities, to elect officers of the party all the way to the flagbearer.<br> <br> He said even though some other parties may have initiated that method, the NDC could do it better and come up with a larger and a more representative college, saying that should have been done a long time ago.<br> <br> Ex-President Rawlings urged executives and officials of the party with integrity to support the call for reforms and that "they should have nothing to fear".<br> <br> "Let us not do anything to undermine the attempt to hand over the party to you the people. To do so, to attempt to undermine it, will be risking the life of the NDC. The NDC must get back into the hands of its power base", he stressed.<br> <br> He recounted that the party struggled after losing power to the New Patriotic Party in 2000 all the way to 2008 because of some practices that adversely affected the party and which required strenuous efforts to regain power in 2008.<br> <br> The NDC, he said, had planted trees that had grown fully for the benefit of all but some people had come to cut down some of those trees. He said judicial justice had been destroyed in the country.<br> <br> He had made incessant calls, he said, for the investigation of corrupt officials of the NPP when the NDC regained power in 2008 but all those calls fell on deaf ears.<br> <br> "Before we lost the 2000 elections, our ministers and other government officials had done nothing that required them being jailed but they used their judges to jail them. There were a number of things that we should have investigated but our brother (Mills) refused and did nothing about it. There were some of our own who also felt that since nothing was done to the corrupt officials of the NPP administration, then they could also do same", he alleged.<br> <br> God, he said, realized that the path that Prof. Mills had taken would not help and had to call him to his side in heaven saying the second thing that God did was to put John Mahama in Mills' place.<br> <br> But the third, he said, now depends on the masses: "You were the ones that gave the power to Mahama and not the executives of the party. You, the 20,000 delegates gave him the mandate and not the executives. If you do not take back your power and re-insert your spirits and souls into the party like we did in the past, 2016 will not be good", he warned. <br> <br> "That is why I am saying that we do not only need 20,000 people to go and vote for Mahama again. Give us 150,000. We should be doing that (enlarging our electoral college) and not the NPP. We believe in the integrity of the masses. Let's increase it to 150,000 for them to go and bribe 150,000 delegates for us to see", he maintained.<br> <br> He entreated the people to translate the victory of the NDC into politically organized power, adding that if things should stand the way they were now, it would give the chance to "destructive elements" to contest again.<br> <br> "An NDC decision must not emanate from only 20,000 people. Leave it at 20,000 and see what will happen in this country come 2016. That one, God will not help us. Rawlings will not help us. Mahama will not help us. Your victory will come from taking back your party. An expansion of the Electoral College, the voting power", he advised.<br> <br> He said Ghana was being touted as an oasis of political stability in a desert of conflicts and uprisings on the African continent, adding that that enviable record was a product of a sense of perseverance, sacrifice and patriotism that "many of you and a host of fallen heroes had to endure particularly in the difficult days of the revolution to lift the country out of the failed economic and political situation it found itself".<br> <br> "Today, some modern day converts operate as if they own the copyright to the pains and sacrifices you the people had to endure", he observed.<br> <br> He noted that one major problem crippling the nation was that of corruption, saying President Mahama had said that the fight against corruption required the support of all and therefore charged Ghanaians not to just elect a president and sit back and watch but they should come on board, lend support to the president in the fight against corruption.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2742242757145580320.post-25137332790981269362013-10-04T03:58:00.001-07:002013-10-04T03:58:53.151-07:00Irate youth besiege NPP NEC meeting<div dir="ltr"> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Irate young men and women besieged the headquarters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Accra yesterday, where the National Executive Committee (NEC) was meeting over fresh proposals to prepare the party for the 2016 general election. <br> The demonstrators were there to protest against the proposals and their activities temporarily disrupted the committee meeting.<br> <br> At about 11 a.m. yesterday, while members of the committee were in the meeting, the youth, with red bands around their necks and arms, forced their way into the premises of the party's headquarters even though security guards at the entrance tried to stop them.<br> <br> Holding placards with inscriptions such as "Jake, don't kill our party; "Moko Aya ne Moko Aba", which means older hands should make way for the new; "We need accountability"; and "No early congress," they chanted war songs and danced, while party leaders tried for over an hour to control them. Finally, the police were called in to help.<br> <br> Achibold Cobinnah, who spoke to the<i> Daily Graphic</i>, said they were against the top-down approach being proposed by the leadership of the party.<br> <br> "We prefer the bottom-up approach where we contest elections at the polling station level then to the constituency level, regional, national and then finally the presidential candidate is elected," he said.<br> <br> He urged the leaders to consider solidifying the internal structures of the party to enable them to win the next general election in 2016.<br> <br> After close to four hours of closed-door meeting, members of the NEC announced they had dismissed the claim that there were plans to extend their mandate and impose Members of Parliament (MPs) on constituents.<br> <br> "There is no such plan. The party continues to believe that elections are the best way to judge one's electability," the members said after the NEC meeting.<br> <br> Some party members had proposed an early congress to elect the party's presidential candidate to permit enough time to sell the presidential candidate and also recommended that sitting MPs were retained and not contested in an election at the constituency level.<br> <br> The NEC leaders resolved to finalise the issues raised at the meeting next week and tasked members to consult their constituents on the issues raised and then submit feedback at the next meeting.<br> <br> A statement signed by the Deputy General Secretary of the Party, Mr Adbulai Fuhlanba, noted that the national executive members were working towards a replacement of NEC members in March 2014, while the constituency and regional elections would precede the national delegates' congress.<br> <br> National Organiser, Mr Muctar Bamba, told the Daily Graphic that the leaders would "only abide by the stipulations of the party's constitution."<br> <br> The MP for the Nabdam Constituency, Mr Gambila Boniface, assured party faithful not to see the issues raised by the chairman as an imposition on the party.<br> <br> "It is only an idea that has been proposed. Unless it is accepted, it cannot be the party's position. But there has been a misconception and people think Mr Jake Obetsibi-Lamptey wants to use it to entrench his position."</span></p> <p class=""><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%">Source: Daily Graphic</span></p> </div> Ghana Electionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07487076113090952238noreply@blogger.com0