Ghana Votes

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Ghana Elections 2012 Daily News Review - 31st May, 2012

Today's review of the dailies begin with news from the Daily Graphic that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary candidate for Okaikoi North in the Greater Accra Region, Mr. Patrick Yaw Boamah, has suggested to the Electoral Commission to acquire more equipment  to create more voting centers for future elections. In his opinion, the verification of voters to be introduced for the first time in the nation's general elections was likely to slow down the voting process hence the need for additional voting centers to help reduce tension, violence, long queues and encourage more people to vote. The paper quoted this under the heading EC urged to create more voting centres.


We are also informed by the Chronicle that EC obeys Supreme Court orders…registers prisoners to vote. The Central Regional Director of Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs. Philomena Adusei has said that only 35 prison inmates qualified in the region to undertake the biometric voters' registration exercise which started on Tuesday. She  gave the  breakdown as Ankaful Main Prison,11,Ankaful Annex ,12,Winneba,9 and Efutu 3 inmates, while  Osamkrom Prison nil. As at 11:30 am 11 inmates had registered.


Away from that, the Daily Graphic informs readers that the Progressive  People 's Party  will be  the first  political party to launch its 2012  National Campaign at Elmina  in the Central Region on Saturday  to showcase its  readiness to wrest political  power in this year's  general  elections .Recently , the National  Democratic  Congress and the New Patriotic  Party launched  their  regional  campaigns  at Ododiodoo constituency in the Greater Accra  region, but  are yet to launch  their  national  campaigns  for election 2012. The paper revealed under the headline PPP launches national campaign on Saturday.


More calls for peace in the upcoming elections as Daasebre Professor Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juabeng Traditional area, has appealed to all Ghanaians to spread the message of peace as the December polls draw near. According to the Ghanaian Times, he said Ghana has been on oasis of peace in Africa, hence the need to preserve the peace and tackle the developmental gaps in education, health, agriculture and other aspects of national life.


Daily Graphic  similarly reports that Suhum Imam advocates clean December elections, adding that Alhaji Hudu Idrisu, Imam of Suhum in the Eastern  Region, has called on Ghanaians  to do  everything  possible  to ensure  clean  and peaceful  Presidential  and Parliamentary elections. He told  the Ghana  News Agency  in an interview  that  it was  important  for the citizenry  to take  precautionary  measures against  any action that would  undermine  national  peace and stability before, Minister, during  and after the general election.


From the same paper, the Islamic Foundation for peace and Development (IFPAD) has called on stakeholders in the political assembly to commit themselves to maintain peace as the December elections draws nearer. They have also called on the government to as a matter of urgency to release the necessary funds to enable the Electoral Commission (EC) prepare adequately for the forth coming elections.


Finally on peace call, the Kumasi Metropolitan Steering Committee of the  National African Peer Review  Mechanism- Governing  Council (NAPRM-GC) has urged party leaders, supporters  and the citizenry  in general  to avoid  speeches  and actions likely to disrupt  Election 2012. It reminded  the various  parties  that  all their campaigns, rallies and other political activities, they  should  abide  by the parties' Code of Conduct  before  and during  the election to consolidate political stability.


We move onto news from the political scene and the Ghanaian Times reveal that ER NDC founding members appeal to Rawlings. The Eastern Regional Founding Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has appealed to the former President, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings to re-consider his decision not to join the party's electioneering campaign for the December elections. In a press release signed by the six surviving members, they reminded the former President Rawlings of the support they gave him during his eight years as the President of the nation.


In another development from the same paper UFP man joins Nduom. Mr. Jerry Quansah, Greater Accra Regional Secretary of United Front Party (UFP), on Tuesday announced his defection to the Progressive People's Party (PPP).He said his resignation from the UFP was unconditional and provided him with a bigger platform to showcase his creative ideas as well as the vision for the country.


News from the Ghanaian Times indicates that Northern Region inaugurates Council. A 13-member council mandated to evaluate the weekly political barometer of the Northern region and whip the Political Parties Code of Conduct has been inaugurated. Dubbed:"Monday Civic Campaigns Council (MCC) report,"the body comprises five regional chairmen of the political parties.


We draw the curtains on today's review with the Daily Graphic's report that NDC is poised to wrest Abirem seat .The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary  candidate  for the Abirem  constituency , Ms. Mavis  Ama Frimpong , has  reiterated her determination to wrest  the parliamentary  seat  from  the New Patriotic  Party (NPP) which  has been  holding  it since 2000.Ms. Frimpong , who is also  District Chief  Executive  for the Birim North  District  in the Eastern  Region , stated this in an interview  on her chance  of winning   the  2012 parliamentary  elections.


 

This daily news review is compiled by African Elections Project (AEP) Media Monitoring Centre, Accra, Ghana.

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