Ghanaians vote in historic
elections on Thursday
Special voting at
Cantonments Police Station unfair - Candidates
Minority parties says they
will not boycott elections
Parties
urged to be modest in victory
Ghanaians
told to beware of promises
Rawlings
rhetoric spells chaos, Parties
No panic travelling because
of elections
WIB kicks against EC order
on artificial fingernails
Police caution police personnel
against open jubilation over result
Police warn against
carrying deadly weapons during elections
EC still has
power to establish identity of voters - Wereko-Brobby
Supreme court ruling is in
the interest of the nation
Ghanaians vote in historic
elections on Thursday
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
Ghanaians on Thursday vote in historic elections after a gruelling campaign that was overshadowed by violence, threats of post-election violence, intolerance, claims of plots to cheat at the poll, a skewed coverage and a court battle over identification of eligible voters.
Some 10.7 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in about 20,000 polling stations across the country to elect a new president and 200 lawmakers.
This will be the first time in Ghana's 43-year history that a democratically elected president will hand power to another.
"We are ready for elections," Mr Kofi Arhin, Director of Elections of the Electoral Commission (EC), told the Ghana News Agency.
"The (voting) materials have been sent to the regional and district capitals for onward distribution to the polling stations," he said.
Mr. Arhin said the Ghana Airforce would airlift materials and personnel to the "overseas" areas and other inaccessible centres.
Various ministries and departments have been contacted through the Regional Co-ordinating Councils to help convey materials to the polling stations.
Mr. Arhin said the personnel of the Police, Prisons, Fire and Customs, Excise and Preventive Services will man the 20,113 polling stations throughout the country.
The voting, dubbed "Election 2000", is going ahead after the Supreme Court cleared the knotty issue of the form of identification for the poll.
The elections were thrown into doubt when a voter sued the EC over its decision to allow only holders of photo ID cards to vote.
Mr. Philip Kwaku Apaloo of Kaneshie in Accra filed the suit last Wednesday saying the EC's decision was inconsistent with Article 42 of the constitution.
He sought a relief that not until the case is determined, the elections should not be conducted.
A five-member Supreme Court, presided over by Mrs Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, unanimously ruled that registered voters with either the photo or thumb-printed ID card can vote in Thursday's presidential and parliamentary elections.
It ruled further that voters with thumbprint ID cards are not required to be identified at polling stations by Returning Officers and party agents.
Other members were Mr Justice A.K.B. Ampiah, Mr Justice F.Y. Kpegah, Mr Justice William Atugubah and Mr George Lamptey.
The court declared as void the Electoral Commission's directives issued on November 11 that the Returning Officer and party agents must identify voters in possession of thumbprint cards.
It also declared void other directives given to polling agents and party representatives at polling stations with regard to identification of voters with thumbprint cards.
The elections will also see President Jerry Rawlings stepping down as the longest-serving Ghanaian head of state.
He first burst onto the political scene in 1979 when he led the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) from June 4, to September 24, 1979, when he handed over power to the late Dr Hilla Limann of the People's National Party (PNP).
President Rawlings returned to oust Dr Limann on December 31, 1981, and ruled as leader of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) until 1992 when he organised elections in which he won 58 per cent of the votes.
He repeated his feat four years later when he won 57 per cent of the vote.
Seven presidential candidates, all supported by political parties, are contesting the election for the highest office in the land.
They are Vice-President John Atta Mills (National Democratic Congress), Mr John Agyekum Kufuor (New Patriotic Party), Dr Edward Mahama (People's National Convention) and Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby (United Ghana Movement).
The rest are Mr Goosie Tanoh (National Reform Party), Professor George Hagan (Convention People's Party) and Mr Dan Lartey (Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).
The candidate who wins 50 per cent of the votes cast plus one wins the presidential contest and would rule for four years. In the event of no candidate winning that magic number in the first round, there would be a run-off between the top-two candidates in two weeks.
According to figures compiled by the Ghana News Agency, 1,063 parliamentary candidates are contesting the vote but there have been several last-minute pullouts by candidates of opposition parties in favour of the NDC.
Given the 1,063 figure, it represents 73.3 per cent increase in the 1996 figure of 780. Some 59 women are contesting and they have received strong support from gender advocacy groups like the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
The figures show that 55 candidates are contesting as independents. The seven political parties supporting the presidential candidates are supporting the rest. In 1996, a total of 57 candidates ran as independent. Eight political parties supported the rest.
The breakdown shows that the NDC is contesting all 200 seats this year and has nominated about 75 per cent of their sitting MPs for re-election.
The NPP is contesting 197 seats; CPP 191; NRP 171; PNC 143; and UGM 103. GCPP is contesting two seats, Ablekuma Central in Greater Accra and Navrongo Central in the Upper East Region. The winner of a parliamentary seat is the first past the post.
The Greater Accra Region has 22 seats; Eastern Region 26; Western Region 19; Central Region 17; Ashanti 33; Brong Ahafo 21; Northern 23; Volta 19; Upper East 12; and Upper West eight.
The outcome of the poll is rather difficult to predict as Ghana has no scientific polling system. All the parties claim their presidential candidates would win in the first round and collect more than half the parliamentary seats at stake.
However, it is clear that the NDC and NPP are the two biggest parties and the winner of the presidential election would be either Professor Mills or Mr Kufuor.
The opposition says the voting pattern would favour them this year but the NDC says the pattern would remain the same and they would win again. The NDC has campaigned on a platform of continuity and development in peace and stability.
The NPP's message, however, has been change and development in freedom.
The issues that dominated the campaign were the economy, health, education, social services, corruption and peace.
The NDC tried very hard to justify its call on the electorate to return the party to power, pointing at the development of infrastructure such as schools, medical facilities, roads, social services such as water, electricity and telecommunication facilities and general improvement in the economy as its track record.
Above all, it said, President Rawlings has ensured that Ghana is an island of peace in a sub-region torn by civil wars in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Senegal, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau and bloody electoral violence in Togo and Cote d'Ivoire.
It has pointed out that the serious economic difficulties this year, especially, have been caused by external circumstances such as high oil prices and the slump of world market prices for the chief export earners, cocoa and gold. The opposition tried to undo those arguments by saying that the government has run out of ideas and has not achieved much. They say the economic difficulties have reduced the mass of the population to below the poverty level.
The campaign was overshadowed at the end by violence that prompted President Rawlings to order the IGP to maintain order or lose his job.
Scores of people were injured in clashes, especially between supporters of the NDC and NPP at Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region and Alajo in Accra. There was at least one death at Bolgatanga, Upper East Region.
The motorcade of the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings was stoned and dozens of people were injured in clashes as violence and intolerance peaked.
One of the most serious threats was the position of the NPP that it would declare its own results and order its supporters into the streets in the event that their figures do not tally with results declared by the EC.
The opposition complained about an uneven playing field, saying the government took undue advantage of its incumbency and used state resources such as vehicles, equipment and manpower to campaign.
They also complained that the state media flouted the constitution by giving the NDC more coverage. The NDC said the private media, which was more favourable to the opposition parties, told a lot of lies about it.
No matter the outcome of the election, it would be a vote on President Rawlings as it will be a referendum on his stewardship. If the NPP loses, it may also mean the political retirement of some of its present stalwarts. As Ghanaians go to the polls, their prayer is that there should no violence after the vote.
GRi…/
Special voting at
Cantonments Police Station unfair - Candidates
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
Three parliamentary candidates of the Dade Kotopon constituency on Tuesday said allowing security personnel from outside Accra to vote in the constituency as special voters was unfair and inappropriate.
The reason given was that the personnel were not members of their constituencies and therefore did not know the various candidates contesting to be members of parliament.
Mr. Eric Ossa Laate, National Reform Party (NRP), Mr. Sylvester Mensah, National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Mr. Godfried Ako Nai, New Patriotic Party (NPP), expressed the views in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
Mr. Laate said he was not happy that the list of such voters from outside the region was not provided by the Electoral Commission. They only voted after writing their names, service and voter ID card numbers.
He described those votes as foreign, saying: "who knows what will happen to the lists that are being compiled?"
According to Mr Mensah, the EC has not been able to address the issue of registration of officials who participate in the special voting.
He said there were similar experiences in 1992 and 1996 and the special voting list was always hand-written and not typed. Mr. Ako Nai said it is not proper to force someone to vote for a person he does not know.
Mr. Daniel Nixon Nkrumah, the returning officer, said all the security personnel from outside Accra were to vote at the Cantonment Police station. He said they were therefore allowed to vote after their names, service and ID card numbers were taken down.
GRi…/
Minority parties says they
will not boycott elections
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
Four minority parties on Tuesday said they would not boycott Thursday's general election even though the Supreme Court's ruling on voter identification fell short of their expectations.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), People's National Convention (PNC), Convention People's Party (CPP) and National Reform Party (NRP) in a statement read at a press conference by Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, NPP's campaigner manager, said: "we have absolutely no interest in boycotting the elections".
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that both the thumbprint and photo voter identity cards can be used in the elections.
Mr. Philip Apaloo of Accra filed a writ at the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Electoral Commission that only photo ID cards could be used in the poll. Voters with thumbprint cards would have to go through a process of identification.
Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, flag-bearer of the NPP, Mr Peter Kpodugbe, National Chairman, NRP, Mr Kwesi Pratt, Executive Member, CPP, and Alhaji Ali Yussif Issah of the PNC, attended the press conference, which was organised to respond to the ruling.
Mr. Obetsebi-Lamtey said the verdict has robbed Ghanaians of their hard fought belief in the electoral process. He said it is sad that after working so hard to achieve a 95 per cent success in replacing the thumbprint cards with photo ID cards, the Electoral Commission's toil have come to naught.
He said the ruling party is pulling a lot of tricks to manipulate the electoral process and frustrate the will of Ghanaians. "The court's ruling does not mean that polling agents have no job to do. They are still entitled to question "questionable identities".
He asked sympathisers to remain calm and make sure that they vote out the NDC. "Let's use that power to remove them from office; we are many and they are few."
GRi…/
Parties
urged to be modest in victory
Gomoa Afransi (Central
Region) 06 December 2000
An assistant Field
Officer of the National commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr. Paul Nyarko,
has advised political parties to be modest in celebrating victory in Thursday's
elections.
Supporters should
refrain from provoking their opponents, he said, adding that they should not
take the law into their own hands and disturb the peace.
Speaking at a forum at
Gomoa Afransi to sensitise the people on the electoral process, Mr Nyarko,
asked supporters of parties, which would lose to control their temper since
"an election is a game and not a battle lost".
The District Director
of the NCCE, Mr Isaac Kweku Sam, urged Ghanaians to guard the prevailing peace
in the country and said politicians should not be allowed to disturb it. "Let
us all be security men and women for peace".
GRi…/
Ghanaians
told to beware of promises
Hohoe (Volta Region) 06
December 2000
Professor John Evans
Atta Mills, Presidential Candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC),
on Monday asked Ghanaians, to beware of promises by the opposition and vote
wisely on Thursday.
Speaking at a rally at
Hohoe, he called on Ghanaians to renew the mandate of the party to continue
with projects it has initiated.
The Vice-President said
he would form a broad-based government of dedicated and God fearing Ghanaians,
when the NDC wins the elections.
Prof. Mills, who is the
presidential candidate of the NDC, said he was aware of the problems facing the
Volta Region and promised to solve them. He asked the people, to pardon top
members of the party and MPs who have offended them.
"We are not saying
we have done all that we should have done, we are not saying we have done no
mistakes but I appeal to all of you, forgive us our shortcomings," he
added.
Prof. Mills said the
NDC would encourage farmers to produce more and to go into agro-processing to
create jobs for the youth, adding that party supporters must ensure peaceful
elections. "Learn to tolerate each others views and do away with
provocative language," he said.
GRi…/
Rawlings
rhetoric spells chaos, Parties
Accra (Greater Accra)
06 December 2000
Five of the seven
political parties contesting this week's elections warned on Tuesday that
President Jerry John Rawlings' campaign rhetoric to the military has put Ghana
on "a dangerous path likely to plunge us all into unnecessary chaos."
A statement read by
Alhaji Ali Yusuf Isa, PNC National Chairman, said in his November 28 speech to
the military, President Rawlings "sought to portray the opposition parties
as opponents of law in general and of the armed forces in particular."
President Rawlings is
founder and head of the ruling NDC. He is ending eight years as President and
is supporting his Vice-President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to succeed
him. The 1992 constitution limits a president to two four-year terms.
Signatories to the
statement issued at a news conference in Accra include the NPP, the major
threat to the ruling party in the elections. The others are CPP, PNC, NRP and
UGM. The GCPP did not join the other parties in criticising Rawlings and the
NDC.
"The President
should be reminded that his role as Commander-in-chief is well defined under
the constitution," Alhaji Isa said.
Alhaji Isa asserted
that it is "the president who has been the main threat to national
security and the democratic process and his personal needs and preferences are
not and do not constitute the national interest."
The five parties called
on the Ghana Armed Forces to resist being drawn into partisan politics and to
maintain their professionalism.
"We regard the
armed forces and the security agencies and the personnel who serve in them as
performing tasks essential to the protection of our territorial
integrity," the statement said.
Alhaji Isa listed some
constitutional injunctions on the use of the army, including those that state
that government shall not misuse them for partisan politics and the army shall
not be passive instruments in the hands of government.
He referred to members
of the forces as "compatriots" who, like other citizens, owe their
allegiance to the state and the constitution and are enjoined to defend the
constitution.
Appearing with Alhaji
Isa at the press conference were Sheikh I. C. Quaye, NPP MP for Ayawaso
Central, and Mr R. R. Amponsah, Chairman of the NPP Council of Elders.
GRi…/
No panic travelling
because of elections
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
In spite of speculations that this year's elections will be violent due to the high tension, there are no indications of panic travelling out of the country through the Kotoka International Airport.
The passenger movement of both arrivals and departures at the airport does not show any increase of departures.
Most departing passengers the GNA spoke to said they did not think there would be violence during and after the elections. They said they were travelling out because there was the need for it.
Mr. Mat Kamara, a 32-year-old Ghanaian businessman, said he is leaving the country for business transactions and not fleeing the country. "After all, there are still people in the country to vote. Do you think they do not value their lives?" he asked.
Another Ghanaian, Mr Osei Owusu, a trader from Kantamanto, said he was going to buy goods for the Christmas and that he does not care about the vote because his vote would not make any difference.
Most of the travellers were of the view that Ghanaians are peace-loving people and would be able to go through the elections without any violence.
Miss Josie Ghartey, a nurse at the Trust Hospital, Accra, who arrived from South Africa on Tuesday, said she is eagerly waiting to cast her vote. "This is my country, I will like to be here during the election whatever the cost," she said.
Another passenger, Ibrahim Napuli of the National AIDS Control Programme in Accra said he could not vote during the last elections and would like to vote this time.
Airline officials who want to remain anonymous said that December is a peak season for arrivals and that there have not been any significant difference in the movement of passengers out of the country as compared to the same period last year.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
Voting in Thursday's presidential and parliamentary elections will be between 0700 and 1700 hours with the entire process taking place in the open view of the public, Mr David Adeenze Kangah, EC Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA). He said party or agents of candidates would be allowed at polling stations to observe proceedings.
Presiding Officers in charge of polling stations would inspect the ballot papers in the presence of the agents, enter the total number, show the ballot boxes to the public to ascertain that it is empty and then place them in the open for voting.
He said that the ballot paper would bear the names of candidates, parties and symbols for voting in secret even though in the open.
Mr Kangah said every voter in the queue at the polling stations at the close of poll at 1700 hours would be allowed to vote. Counting of ballot cast starts immediately after the last voter.
He said the Presiding Officer may extend the voting period if circumstances prevent the start of poll at 0700 hours.
At the close of poll the Presiding Officer will open the ballot box in the presence of party agents and any other person who would like to witness at a reasonable distance.
The Presiding Officer would sort out ballots cast in favour of each candidate, count them one by one to the hearing of those present and once everybody is satisfied, record it on the Result Form. The Presiding Officer would sign the form while the agents certify and the results are recorded.
The Presiding Officer would then publicly announce the results and a signed copy given to the party, candidate or agent.
"It is to be noted that once the results of a polling station have been certified in this way, the ballot papers are not counted again anywhere," Mr Kangah said.
He said even though each polling station declares its own results, "the overall winner of the election for the constituency is not known until all polling stations within it have been added up".
Each Presiding Officer submits a copy of the Result Form to the Returning Officer at the Constituency Centre for collation in the presence of the candidates or their agents.
Mr. Kangah said Returning Officers sign the Result Form counter-signed by the candidate or agent after which he publicly announces the result and declares the winner for the constituency for both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
He said it should be noted that the declaration of a winner for the parliamentary election at the Constituency Centre "ends it provided there is no dispute".
However, the results are transmitted through the EC Regional Director to the Head Office in Accra for gazetting.
Mr. Kangah said in the case of the presidential vote, the whole country is considered as a constituency: "So the separate declarations of the winner in the 200 parliamentary constituencies cannot be the end until all are added up".
He said the EC Regional Directors in the presence of candidates or their agents add up the scores from each constituency to determine the overall winner for the regions.
The regional and constituency results are sent to the EC Head Office and added up for the declaration of the national winner by the Chairman of the Commission who is the Returning Officer for the presidential election.
Mr Kangah described the process leading to the declaration of the final results of the presidential and parliamentary as “thoroughly decentralised and transparent”.
GRi…/
WIB kicks against EC order
on artificial fingernails
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 06 December 2000
The Brong Ahafo Regional branch of Women In Broadcasting (WIB) on Monday called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to produce legal documents debarring women wearing artificial fingernails from the electoral process.
WIB made the call in a statement reacting to the EC's publication on November 17 issue of the Daily Graphic, which urged women wearing artificial fingernails to remove them before voting.
The statement, signed by the Regional Co-ordinator, Miss Phyllis Amponsah, said the EC's action is not only unconstitutional but is also an infringement on their right to exercise their franchise.
"The inner part of the palm and the fleshy part of the thumb is a credible place which was used in the two previous elections.
"We would like to ask the Commission how they were able to handle women who wore artificial fingernails in the 1992 and 1996 elections."
The statement stressed that their reaction was solely to back up their desire to defend and uphold the rights of women in the country and not a political motivation.
"We also appeal to FIDA to take up the issue seriously to avoid some of the women being disenfranchised," the statement added.
GRi…/
Police caution police
personnel against open jubilation over result
Wa (Upper West) 06 December 2000
Mr. Francis Kwaku Agyemang, Upper West Regional Police Commander, at the weekend cautioned police personnel against jubilating openly over election results declared at their respective duty posts.
He told them to exhibit a high sense of professionalism by controlling their emotions since any lapses on their part could compromise their neutrality and put the image of the service into disrepute.
Mr. Agyemang was briefing personnel drawn from the various police stations in the region at Wa on their responsibilities at the polling stations on voting day.
The briefing formed part of a continuous education programme instituted by the regional police commander to educate the personnel on the electoral process.
Mr. Agyemang, who is a Deputy Commissioner of Police, advised the personnel to refrain from taking alcoholic drinks during the election since that may impair their vision and good judgement.
Chief Superintendent Daniel Otchere, Deputy Regional Commander, also advised all security personnel to behave well during the special voting exercise.
"Any acts of indiscipline at the polls can have negative consequences on your profession as law enforcement agents."
Mr. Otchere said members of the public would be watching them closely and they should, therefore, conduct themselves maturely.
GRi…/
Police warn against carrying deadly
weapons during elections
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
The police on Tuesday warned that anybody found in possession of any weapon during voting on Thursday would be dealt with according to law.
A statement signed by Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr David S. Eklu, said it has come to the attention of the Police Administration that some parties have armed their members with flick knives and deadly weapons to carry along with them during the voting period.
"These weapons have been issued to party members ostensibly to defend themselves but in actual fact they are meant to harm, intimidate and harass innocent citizens," it said.
The police warned that it is an offence to carry such weapons to the polling stations and anybody arrested would be dealt with.
GRi…/
EC still has power to
establish identity of voters - Wereko-Brobby
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, Presidential Candidate for the United Ghana Movement (UGM), on Tuesday said the Supreme Court's ruling that thumb-printed ID cards must be accepted from voters does not remove the right of Electoral Commission (EC) to establish the identity of every intended voter.
In a statement in Accra, he said the Supreme Court's ruling would ensure that no Ghanaian registered to vote would be denied his or her constitutional right.
"It does not negate established regulations which empower the EC to take appropriate measures to determine the identity of voters beyond all reasonable doubt," the statement said.
According to the statement, article 30 (1) of C.1. 15, Public Elections Regulations of 1996, states that: "A presiding officer may, before delivering a ballot paper to a person applying to vote at the election, require the person to produce his or her identification card or furnish such other evidence as may be determined by the commission to establish that he or she is a registered voter whose name and voter identification number and particulars appear in the register.
"It also requires the person to make a declaration in the form that he has not already voted anywhere in the election."
The statement said there is nothing in the EC's guidelines, which prevents a qualified and registered voter from exercising his/her constitutional right to vote with the exception of the suggested involvement of polling agents, which the Supreme Court declared as unlawful.
The statement expressed its disappointment that the Supreme Court appeared to have confused the issue of eligibility of qualified and registered voters to exercise their franchise, which EC has never disputed, with the right of the commission to establish the identity of voters in clear, unambiguous and transparent manner.
It said: "The Supreme Court's decision to allow voter with thumb-printed cards to vote is not and can never be interpreted as being at variance with the EC's right and duty to establish the true identity of intended voters.
"The Supreme Court must clarify its judgement immediately to clear any confusion, misinterpretation and misunderstanding about its ruling."
GRi…/
Supreme court ruling is in
the interest of the nation
Bimbilla (Northern Region) 06 December 2000
The NDC district organiser for the Nanumba district, Mr Alhassan Bawa Mohammed, said on Tuesday that the use of the photo and thumbprint identity cards for the December seven election is in the interest of the whole country and not the NDC.
Reacting to the Supreme Court's ruling on photo ID cards, Mr Mohammed stated that the court was only enforcing the electoral laws for the benefit of the nation.
He said the rural folk who produce the bulk of the country's food and other resources would have been disenfranchised if only the photo identity cards were to be used in the elections, adding " at the time of the change to photo ID cards most of them were on their farms and were not available for the photo identity cards".
On an alliance of the NPP, PNC, CPP and UGM in the Bimballa constituency to ensure that the NDC loses both the presidential and parliamentary elections in the area,
He said " this is a clear testimony of fear because the whole of the constituency is behind the NDC and we are sure of a decisive win".
He denied an allegation that the NDC uses money to influence people, adding," the people cannot be influenced with money but rather they have seen what the NDC has done for them and that is why they are with us".
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
The following are the CVs of the running mates National Democratic Congress Mr. Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu, the running mate of Professor John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is the Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
Mr. Amidu is a product of the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Ghana School of Law in 1977 and 1978 respectively.
He enrolled as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in November 1978 and was made a Notary Public in 1996.
He held various deputy ministerial appointments under the erstwhile Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) between 1983 and 1992.
He was appointed PNDC deputy Secretary for the Upper East Region in 1983, Acting PNDC Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development in 1986 and later Deputy Secretary for the then Industries, Science and Technology between 1986 and 1988.
Between April and October 1988, Mr. Amidu was made PNDC Deputy Secretary for the Volta Region and later Deputy Attorney- General and PNDC Secretary for Justice from October 1988 to the threshold of the Fourth Republic in January 1992.
Mr. Amidu was re-designated Acting Deputy Attorney-General and Deputy Minister of Justice under the Transitional Constitutional Administration from January 7, 1993, to March 1993 from where he continued to serve the portfolio to date.
He also served on various Boards and Committees at both the local and international levels, including the Consultative Assembly that wrote the 1992 Constitution.
He was the Chairman of the African-Asian Legal Consultative Committee between April 1999 and March 2000.
Mr. Amidu was Chairman for the Committee of Enquiry into the Affairs of the Social Security Bank of Ghana, Public Agreements Board and the House Committee of the Consultative Assembly and a member of the Police Council.
He is married with three children.
Mr. Lawrence Adotey Addo, a publisher, is the running mate of Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, flag-bearer of the United Ghana Movement (UGM).
The 44-year-old graduate of the University of Ghana is a founding member of the party and its treasurer.
Mr. Addo was a student leader in the late 70's, built up the People's Defence Committees at Osu in the early period of the 31st December Revolution.
He joined the People's Heritage Party (PHP) in 1992 and continued as an active member of the People's Convention Party (PCP) when it emerged as a merger of the PHP, National Independence Party (NIP) and National Convention Party (NCP).
Mr. Addo is married with two children.
Mr. Cletus Joseph Kosiba, 49, a Public Relations Practitioner, is the running mate of the flag-bearer of the National Reform Party (NRP).
Mr. Kosiba, who comes from the Navrongo, taught geography and economics at Navrongo Secondary School and Saint John Bosco Training College.
He holds an honours degree in economics from the University of Cape Coast. As a communicator, he has worked as a reporter, and in public relations.
Mr. Kosiba has post-graduate degrees in Communications from the University of Ghana, Legon, and University of Stirling in Scotland.
He is the Deputy Director and Head of the Public Relations Department of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
He is the Director of the Policy and Communications Division of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) where he is on secondment.
Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a 54-year-old civil engineer, is the running mate of Mr John Agyekum Kufuor in the election.
Alhaji Mahama is a graduate of the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. He has worked in various establishments including the State Construction Corporation, the Yendi District Assembly and as an Assemblyman in the Tamale Municipal Assembly.
He is currently the Board Chairman of Real Tamale United. He is married with five children.
GRi…/
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 December 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra on 22nd June, 1947, to a Ghanaian mother from Dzelukope, near Keta, in the Volta Region, and a Scottish father.
He was educated at Achimota School where he obtained his General Certificate of Education 'O' Level in 1966.
He enlisted as a Flight Cadet in the Ghana Air Force in August, 1967, and was subsequently selected for officer cadet training at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School, Teshie, in Accra.
In March, 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to continue his course. He passed out in January, 1969, as a commissioned Pilot Officer. He won the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship.
He earned the rank of Flight-Lieutenant in April, 1978. He was an efficient officer with a close rapport with his men.
During his service with the Ghana Air Force, he witnessed the deterioration of discipline and morale, reflecting the corruption of the regime of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) at that time. As promotion brought him into contact with the privileged classes and their social values, his awareness of the injustices in society was sharpened. He was thus regarded with some unease by the SMC.
He read widely and discussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.
On May 28, 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings, together with six others, appeared before a General Court Martial in Accra, charged with leading a mutiny of junior officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces on 15th May, 1979. There was strong public reaction, especially after his statement had been read in court, explaining the social injustices that had prompted him to act. The ranks of the Armed Forces, in particular, expressed deep sympathy with his stated aims.
When he was scheduled for another court appearance on 4th June, 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings was sprung from custody. With the support of both military and civilians, he led a revolt, which decisively ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) into being.
The AFRC, under the chairmanship of Flt.Lt. Rawlings, carried out a "house-cleaning exercise" aimed at purging the Armed Forces and society at large of corruption and graft as well as restoring a sense of moral responsibility and the principles of accountability and probity in public life.
Meanwhile, following the programme already set in motion before the 4th June Uprising for civilian administration, general elections were held. On 24th September, 1979, the AFRC handed over to the civilian Government of the People's National Party (PNP) under President Hilla Limann.
On 31st December, 1981, Flt. Lt. Rawlings led a section of the Armed Forces to overthrow the PNP administration. A Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and military members, was established, with Flt-Lt. J.J. Rawlings as the Chairman.
His interests include reading, building model aircraft, horse-riding and swimming. He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings with whom he has four children - three girls and a boy.
Flt-Lt. Rawlings ceased to be a member of the Ghana Armed Forces with effect from September 14, 1992. He formed the National Democratic Congress, which contested and won the 1992 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. He and the party again won the 1996 elections. His term of office ends in the year 2000.
He is the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Prize. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Medgar Evers College, City University of New York and Lincoln University Doctorate Degree for Diplomacy and Development. (Source: Information Services Department)
GRi…/