GRi Press Review 13 - 12 - 2000
4 Parties plan to finish NDC
Kufuor is next Prez of Ghana
I didn't use juju - Victor Gbeho
NPP scared of run-off
Kufuor's headache
NDC near grave
God allows change of Gov't for a purpose - Konadu
EC fixes Dec 28 for presidential run-off
Govt to provide funds – for Presidential run-off
EC spells out voting procedures for run-off
4 Parties plan to finish NDC
The Evening News reports that after declaring their support for Mr John Agyekum Kufuor and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the run-off, the four political parties, CPP, PNC, NRP and the UGM met on Monday night behind closed doors to give practical meaning to their pledge.
The meeting which took place at the CPP's old head office at Accra went deep into the night with members brainstorming and defining a more strategic plan capable of defeating Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the NDC presidential candidate.
Even though the contribution of the parties were not spelt, inside sources say it was likely that the presidential flagbearers would either be asked to mount platforms or join Mr Kufuor in his campaign for the run-off.
The Evening News said that it is clear from the interaction of the party leaders that whatever agreement was arrived at would be put before the rank and file of the parties before they are carried out.
The parties are however cautious not to allow the run-off campaign diminish their individual might.
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Kufuor is next Prez of Ghana
The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is sure to be the next President of Ghana, according to the lead story of The Guide.
The paper says political analysts are of the view that the chances of Mr J.A. Kufuor in the second ballot is higher in terms of votes than Prof. Atta Mills, the candidate for the NDC.
They also believe that the performance of the NPP in the first election raised hopes not necessarily in the ardent supporters of the party, but undecided voters as well.
"There is the belief that even some of the people who voted for the NDC and Prof. Atta Mills are likely to vote for Kufuor", the paper quoted the analysts as saying, adding that the conviction of those previously doubting an NDC's possible defeat may add their votes, seeing Mr Kufuor's capability.
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I didn't use juju - Victor Gbeho
Foreign Minister and elected independent MP for Anlo, Mr James Victor Gbeho, has denied ever using juju to win victory and secure the seat.
Reacting to accusations levelled against him on an Accra FM station by Sqr. Ldr. Clend Sowu, which the latter attributed to his loss of the Anlo seat through the intimation of juju, Mr Gbeho said the outgoing MP's comments were the "effusions of a poor loser."
"I am a practising Catholic and I don't dabble in juju. All my friends and relatives know that," he said.
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NPP scared of run-off
The Ghana Palaver reports that the leadership of the NPP is scared of the run-off that pitches the Vice-President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills against J.A. Kufuor, after none of the candidates obtained the required percentage in the first round of the presidential election held last Thursday.
According to the story, the NPP's fear is that the NDC headship having survived the temporary setback in round one, will roll the well-oiled campaign machinery across the length and breadth of the country and take the combined opposition head-on, just as it did in 1992 and 1996.
NDC insiders are said to be upbeat about the party's chances in the run-off and are talking generally about the revision of the party's general strategies adopted in the first round.
Details of the strategies, Palaver says, are not immediately known but are likely to include finding immediate answers to why the integrity of the electoral system was compromised in certain parts of the country, where irregularities such as voting by minors and impersonation were the order of the day.
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Kufuor's headache
The Weekly Insight writes that with almost certainty that Mr J.A. Kufuor will be assuming the presidency, the problem now facing him is the extremely high expectations of the people against a very limited means to deliver.
"Some of the immediate problems which the Kufuor administration will have to grapple with will include the determination of the prices of petroleum products, the payment of realistic wages and salaries to all categories of workers, determination of utility tariffs and how to deal with problems associated with the students loans scheme," states the paper.
It stated that in the medium and long term, the Kufuor administration will have to slow down inflation, bring down interest rates, reduce the budget deficit, create jobs and expand the people's access to such social services as health and education.
"All these problems do not appear to have easy solution and the capacity of the Kufuor administration to pick the fine lines in this delicate and complex endeavour will be tested to the full," the Insight said.
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NDC near grave
Mr J.A. Kufuor, leading candidate in the December 7 presidential elections, is reported by the Free Press as saying that the run-off of the presidential elections to decide who should go to the Castle would be a send-off for the incumbent NDC government on the eve of its compulsory retirement.
He said Ghanaians had clearly demonstrated through the ballot box that they need a change of government and that the run-off would just be a confirmation of that wish.
Mr Kufuor noted that the total number of votes cast in favour of positive change represented about 55.2 per cent as against the 44.8 polled by Prof. J.E.A. Mills, presidential candidate of the NDC.
He told the paper that it would be logical as far as effective governance was concerned that he is given the mandate since the NPP now has the majority in parliament and suggested the closure of the nation's borders for the run-off on December 28.
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God allows change of Gov't for a purpose - Konadu
Outgoing First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings sounding spiritual and philosophical, less abrasive and insulting as she wants to be, has explained that the verdict of last Thursday's elections could be an act of God, reports The Ghanaian Chronicle.
Nana Konadu, making her first public comments on the surprise results that saw the NDC losing grounds in even its traditional strongholds, said, "Once in a while the Bible even says that God in his wisdom allows a change in government to teach the people a lesson."
She however shot down the NPP's claim to a resounding victory in the second round, stressing that the NDC would pull a surprise.
She said the NPP won the December 7 elections only because it benefited immensely from the votes of several minors who registered in the Ashanti Region.
"The reality is different from the perception. The reality is that parents allowed their children who are minors to vote and that was irresponsible," she said.
She denied media reports that the first family was leaving the country.
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EC fixes Dec 28 for presidential run-off
The Daily Graphic reports that the Electoral Commission has fixed Thursday, December 28, 2000, for the re-run of the presidential election countrywide.
According to a Gazette notice issued in Accra on Tuesday by EC’s chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, this is in accordance with Article 63 clauses 4 and 5 of the Constitution.
The Gazette notice said the election would be between Mr John Agyekum Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The run followed the inability of any of the seven flagbearers who contested last Thursday’s presidential polls to hit the 50 per cent plus one vote mark.
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Govt to provide funds – for Presidential run-off
The Government has agreed to release funds for the conduct of the Presidential run-off scheduled for December 28.
Mr Kwame Peprah, Minister of Finance, who gave the assurance in a GTV interview in Accra, said the government will raise, within the shortest practicable time, the 15 billion cedis required by the Electoral Commission (EC) to organise the second round of voting in the presidential election.
The run-off became necessary after Mr J.A. Kufuor polled 48.35 per cent and Prof. J.E.A. Mills’ massed 44.49 per cent of total valid votes cast in the December 7 elections, all falling short of the 50 per cent plus one constitutional requirement for one to assume the presidency.
Mr Peprah stated that the government will have to re-examine its budget for the fiscal year and earmark monies meant for other development projects to fund the conduct of the run-off.
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EC spells out voting procedures for run-off
The Electoral Commission (EC) on Tuesday said the forefinger of registered voters would be marked with indelible ink during the run-off.
“There is the possibility of voters still having the indelible ink on their thumb. To forestall any funny dealings and multiple voting, the forefinger of the left hand will be marked,” Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, Director of Elections, told the GNA in Accra.
He explained that the run-off was part of the general elections held on December 7 and administrative measures would be put in place to ensure transparency and fairness to all the electorate.
Electoral officials and other personnel who would be on duty on voting day would be given a certificate, which would enable them vote at the duty posts.
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