EC fine-tunes preparations for polls
EC caution not to de franchise Ghanaians in
December elections
Reject those who offer gifts for your votes
- Tanoh
BA Co-ordinating Council to provide 100
vehicles for election
Zebilla police, EC official dispel rumours
about stolen ballot boxes
EC fine-tunes preparations for polls
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 December 2000
With barely three days to the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections, the Electoral Commission (EC) is fine-tuning its preparations for a free, fair and transparent poll.
Already, ballot papers have been transported to the various regional capitals where EC officials would distribute them to secured spots from where each of the over 20,000 polling stations would have their materials before voting starts at 0700 hours.
Mr K. Damoah-Agyeman, Chief Director of Elections of the EC, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Sunday that all polling stations are expected to have all the essential materials before the vote begins.
Each polling station, he said, would have two ballot boxes, one each for presidential and parliamentary vote and five seals for each ballot box.
Polling stations would also have indelible ink for marking voters' thumb and thumbprint pads for making the ballot papers, among other things.
Mr Damoah-Agyeman said other documents and forms are: a voters' Register and ballot papers based on the number of voters on the register.
Mr Damoah-Aygeman said polling stations will have transferred voters' lists where applicable, list of proxy voters, absentee voters list, name reference list, objected names list, forms for voters without ID cards and enumeration sheets for male and female voters.
He said there will be five other forms at the polling stations - statements of the poll, declaration of results form, two handing-over certificates, forms of arrest and search of suspects.
Mr Damoah-Aygeman said there will be one presiding officer at each polling station with four polling officers to assist him.
At the constituency level, he said, one returning officer with two deputies would be responsible for the conduct and supervision of the elections under the direction of the District Electoral Officer and the EC.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 December 2000
Mr John A Kufuor, presidential candidate of NPP, on Sunday urged Ghanaians to make history by voting out the ruling NDC through the ballot box.
Addressing a rally at the INDAFA Park in Accra, he said the nation has never been allowed to change any government through the power of the ballot box in its history.
He described the NDC "as incompetent and corrupt, which has only brought poverty and misery to the people".
"The NPP will accept the result of the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections if only the photo ID cards was used and we will reject it if the NDC played any trick" to win, he said.
He told the large crowd, "I see the people's power before me. Power that is flowing around the globe, in which people are demanding accountability and change through voting".
Mr Kufuor asked them to covert their numerical support into votes for the NPP to form the next government to end their sufferings.
Alhaji Mahama Aliu, the running mate, blamed the NDC for the Northern Conflict and said "the government has set tribe against tribe in the country".
He said the NPP has new vision for Ghana, which is unity and development.
Nana Akufo Addo, a leading member and MP for Abuakwa said the position of the party is that "no photo ID cards, no vote".
He said President Rawlings should stop attacking the constitution by inciting the military against other political parties.
"If Rawlings is going, he should go with all NDC people, together with the umbrella and allow the new government of NPP to work.
The nation is tired with hypocrisy, incompetence, in which poverty is described as wealth and integrated corruption"
Nana Addo said "if the NPP is unable to deliver in the four years of its tenure of office it should be rejected by the people by voting it out".
Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Campaign Manager, introducing Mr Kufuor said the presidential candidate has proved to be a competent leader throughout his life and should be voted for to occupy the castle, the seat of government.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said it was Mr Kufuor, who wrote the current decentralisation policy being implemented by the government and claiming the credit.
He said Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Vice-President and presidential candidate of NDC, "before joining President Rawlings was a diplomat but has turned abusive and a puppet".
All the speakers called on the electorate to vote for the NPP.
Mr. Victor Okulley Nortey, candidate for Ablekuma North, said the party would streamline positions within the Police, Prisons and Fire Service.
He said some NDC activists were in possession of ballot papers and urged NPP supporters "to play it rough once the NDC are not going to play it fairly".
GRi…/
EC caution not to de franchise Ghanaians in
December elections
Bator (Volta Region) 04 December 2000
Mr Vincent Asisseh, Publicity Secretary for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Saturday cautioned the Electoral Commission (EC) not to insist that people use only photo identification cards (IDs) because that would defranchise a majority of Ghanaians.
Mr Asisseh said this when he introduced Mr Joe Gidisu, the party's parliamentary candidate for the area, to the electorate at a rally organised by the North Tongu constituency of the party.
He said the EC has no right whatsoever to insist on only photo IDs for voting. It must rather make sure that all those with thumbprint IDs who have their names in the voters' register exercise their franchise.
Mr Asisseh said Article 42 of the Constitution states that every citizen of 18 years of age or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda.
It is therefore unconstitutional for the EC to insist on Photo IDs as the only means of voting in the country.
He said the Photo IDs came about as an ideal method of checking irregularity, impersonation and transparency but was not a constitutional requirement.
He therefore entreated all eligible voters with thumbprint IDs who cannot exchange them with photo IDs to march to the polling stations on December 7 to exercise their franchise.
"If the Electoral Commission wants each and every eligible Ghanaian voter to exercise their franchise with only photo IDs, then it should intensify its efforts to get all persons with thumbprint ID cards and replace them with photo IDs before Election Day."
The EC announced on Monday, November 27, that only a voter's photo ID would be accepted during the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
However, a prospective voter without a photo ID card will be required to go through a procedure prescribed by the EC to establish his/her identification before being allowed to vote.
The procedures to follow for those without a voter's ID card are spelled out in Chapter 3 of "Guide to Election Officials 2000", the EC's document on voting procedures.
It states as follows:
a. Check the name of the person in the Name Reference List.
b. If the name is not on the list, the person must be politely told to go away from the polling station.
c. If the name is on the list and all the candidates/party agents affirm that they know the person, allow the person to go through the voting process straight away. Otherwise, ascertain the person's identity by proceeding as follows:
d. Pick out the original registration form of the person using his/her Voter ID Number on the Name Reference List.
e. Ask the person to give you and the agents the following information, which should be on the registration form: Father's name; Mother's name;
Although the EC has sent cameras throughout the country to change all thumbprint cards into photo IDs, some voters still do not have the new cards.
Mr Gigisu called on the chiefs, elders and people of the area to show their appreciation to President Jerry John Rawlings for what he has done for them.
He described as very alarming opposition claims, especially that the NDC government had done nothing apart from providing roads, culverts, electricity and water.
He urged the electorate to look back and see where they came from and vote massively for the NDC.
Mr Francis Doe, Constituency Chairman of the NDC, said the opposition (NPP) party is attacking the NDC for contracting more loans than any other government and said the loans acquired were spent judiciously.
He educated the electorate on the voting procedure and urged them to make sure that their ballot papers have the stamp and initials of the returning officer on the back.
GRi…/
Reject those who offer gifts for your votes
- Tanoh
Agona Nsaba (Central Region) 04 December 2000
Mr Goosie Tanoh, National Reform Party (NRP) presidential candidate, on Saturday called on voters to reject those who offer them gifts or try to bully them to win their votes.
He said the NRP would not insult and intimidate any political leader or members in the run-up to the electioneering campaign.
Mr Tanoh was speaking at a well-attended NRP community forum at Agona Nsaba as part of a three-day tour of the Central Region.
He stated that only knowledge and collective commitment could solve Ghana's development problems.
Mr Tanoh said democracy works when voters are well informed and they can choose wisely between the different solutions that candidates are offering.
The NRP flagbearer was hopeful that Ghanaians would stand behind the party to champion the task ahead of the nation.
He said the nation has to start from basic farming, adding that the party would support Ghanaian farmers with soft loans, extension services, land assets and markets to ensure food security.
He noted that the country would sell surplus abroad and buy equipment that also surpluses can be used to feed first small and large scale industries.
Mr Tanoh stated that this would create jobs for school leavers and provide more income tax revenue for government to spend on social services.
"This is how the nation develops, not from donor handouts and endless importation of food", he declared.
Mr Tanoh emphasised that, to increase productivity, the NRP would improve human resources, adding that the NRP would make education through SSS One 100 per cent fee-free and ensure that children actually attend school and are properly taught.
He said the number one enemy facing the nation is poverty and urged Ghanaians to help the party to reduce it to the lowest minimum.
Mr Tanoh denied that his T&C Company had embezzled 10 billion Cedis, which belongs to the government, adding that the money a loan.
He explained that the amount was 4.83 billion cedis and not 10 billion cedis as is being speculated by NDC functionaries.
He stated that the government entered an agreement with his company to float 676, 000 shares, which would cost three dollars per share, and it shall be sold at five dollars in 2003.
Mr Tanoh declared that the Reform Party would not enter into an alliance with any party when the second round comes in the December 7 elections.
At Agona Duakwa, Nana Kojo Amoakwa Boadu, chief of the town, called on the government to accept the photo IDs in next week's elections to make it transparent, free and fair.
He said the Ghanaian and British governments have spent huge sums of money in replacing the thumbprint ID cards for Photo IDs, adding that nothing should be done to disrupt the election.
GRi…/
BA Co-ordinating Council to provide 100
vehicles for election
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 04 December 2000
The Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council is commandeering about 100 vehicles for the regional office of the Electoral Commission (EC) towards the December 7 general election.
Mr Amadu Sulley, Regional Director of the EC, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Sunyani at the weekend.
He said the vehicles, which would significantly complement the commission's own fleet, are being sourced from various district assemblies, government departments and other organisations in the region.
Mr Sulley said the region has received its full complement of electoral materials and everything is set for the smooth conduct of the election.
"All the ballot papers meant for the 21 constituencies in the region have been despatched to the districts and are under a 24-hour police guard awaiting distribution to the various polling stations on the D-Day."
Mr. Sulley also disclosed that only 5,985 voter transfers were requested for throughout the region with Techiman South Constituency topping with 700 requests while Dormaa East recorded the lowest with 62 requests.
He gave the assurance that the commission is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring a smooth and peaceful election in the region and appealed for co-operation.
About one million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in the 21 constituencies in the region on December 7.
GRi…/
Zebilla police, EC official dispel rumours
about stolen ballot boxes
Zebilla (Upper East) 04 December 2000
The Bawku West District Electoral Officer, Mr Thomas Biyimba, on Friday described as untrue allegations that four of the ballot boxes meant for that constituency had been stolen by one of the parliamentary candidates there.
He assured the people of the area that all the 110 ballot boxes allocated to the constituency are safely locked up at the Zebilla police station.
Mr Biyimba was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Zebilla following a violent protest by Mr John Ndebugre, PNC parliamentary candidate for the area, and his supporters last Wednesday, claiming that some ballot boxes had gone into the wrong hands.
The Electoral Officer explained that the four ballot boxes in question had been kept in his office long before the rest of the consignments were brought from Bolgatanga earlier this week, and therefore looked dirty.
He said he engaged some boys to go and clean up those four boxes, adding that it was in the process that some residents who saw them being carried out suspected wrongly and raised a false alarm.
Commenting on the incident, Police Inspector Daniel Boakye, officer in charge of the district police unit, said at about 1920 hours last Wednesday, the police were holding a pre-arranged meeting with Mr Cletus Avoka, MP for the area, on security matters when
Mr Ndebugre arrived with a group of rowdy supporters to besiege the police station.
Inspector Boakye said the group hurled insults at both the police and the MP, demanding reasons for the latter's presence at the police station where ballot boxes were being kept.
They therefore insisted that Mr Avoka, who is also the NDC parliamentary candidate for the area, should leave the police station before they would also leave.
Police Inspector Boakye warned that the police would not countenance such acts of indiscipline in future, saying that Mr Ndebugre should show leadership by example.
He said the police are non-partisan and that their doors are open to all party candidates who have business doing there.
GRi…/
Ho (Volta Region) 04 December 2000
Six journalists in the Volta
Region on Saturday received awards for their dedication and hard work.
Mr Albert Adoko of Ghana
Television came first. He received a return ticket from
Accra-Rome-London-Accra.
Mr. Anthony Amoah of the Daily
Graphic and Mr Alberto Mario Noretti of the Ghanaian Times came second and
third respectively. Each received a cheque for Two Million cedis and a Ghana
Telecom One-Touch connect card costing about 500,000 cedis.
Other award winners were Messrs
Maxwell Awumah of the Ghana News Agency, Frank Muzzu of the Ghanaian Chronicle
and Kwame Senyo of the Volta Star FM Station, who received 150,000 cedis
each.
Mr Francis Aggrey Agbotse, Member
of Parliament (MP) for Ho-West instituted the award in recognition of the
performance of Journalists in the region.
Mr Agbotse said the criminal libel
law would not be expunged from the statutory books unless "journalists
demonstrate a high sense of professionalism and are more investigative in the
performance of their duties".
He said despite the high
performance of journalists, there is low coverage of activities in the region in the mass media.
The MP appealed to editors to give
equal space and airtime to regional activities.
He advised journalists to do
detailed reportage on the environment and tourist potentials in the region to
open up the area for investment.
Mr Agbotse gave an assurance that
the award scheme, which is in its second year, will continue for the next three
years.
Mr Kofi Attor, MP for Ho-Central
asked journalists especially those working with radio stations, to be
circumspect in reporting on the elections.
He advised them not to make hasty
pronouncements, but rely on the official results from the Electoral Commission.
Madam Vinolia Abra Mante, Votla
Regional Co-ordinator of the National Council on Women and Development and
member of the National Media Commission commended the press for their
dedication to duty "even under difficult conditions".
Mrs Hillary Gbedema, Regional
Programme Co-ordinator of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF)
called for more constructive reportage on women and children in the media.
She called for a responsible press
that accepts its shortfalls and gives the public a hearing through rejoinders
adding, "we are partners in development".
Mr Tim Dzamboe, Volta Regional
Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association asked journalists to brace
themselves up for the challenges of the new era emerging on the media
landscape.
He said the success of the
country's democracy would create the congenial atmosphere for the media to
thrive.
He thanked Mr Agbotse for his
gesture and appealed to others to emulate him.
Mr Adoko on behalf of the other
award winners thanked Mr Agbotse for his initiative and advised the other
journalists to work harder.
GRi…/