EC is being misquoted - Wereko-Brobby
"No Photo ID, No
Vote", declares Kufuor
Rawlings should leave Mills to do own campaign - Ms Busia
Gbeho asks diplomats to assess Ghana objectively
Political Parties urged to respect will of the people
W. African governments asked to enforce agreements on environment
Extend date for mopping up exercise--EC urged
Two motor bike riders die in accident
EC is being misquoted - Wereko-Brobby
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 November 2000
The United Ghana Movement (UGM) on Monday said nowhere in the Electoral Commission's pronouncements at the Inter-party Advisory Committee meetings or the Official Election Guide is it stated that voters without ID cards will not be allowed to vote.
Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, the party's presidential candidate, in a statement in Accra said the EC's explanation on the process of identification of voters states that those who present photo ID cards will be allowed to vote immediately and without hesitation.
However, those without the photo ID card would be allowed only after fulfilling requirements for voters without a voter's ID card provided in "Guide to Election Officials 2000."
Dr Wereko-Brobby noted with concern the undue pressure being exerted on the EC by several organisations and individuals on the rules and regulations concerning voter identification on election day.
He said political parties, which have been at the IPAC meetings, have subjected the EC's position to so much distortion and misinterpretation.
According to the UGM presidential candidate one school of thought is proposing that those with thumb-printed cards should be allowed to vote without going through the process while the second group says only those with photo ID should be allowed to vote.
Dr Wereko-Brobby said: "These attacks which have become shriller and nastier as the election day approaches are only managing to undermine the credibility of the EC and by extension preparing groups of party supporters to reject the outcome of the elections."
He said the EC is the only body mandated by the constitution to draw up rules, supervise and declare election results.
"As in every game in which fairness is expected so that the outcome will be accepted by all the players, the referee's decision, no matter how unpalatable the outcome is to individual competitors, must be accepted by all as final," he said.
He, therefore, appealed to all to accord the EC respect, "if we really believe in preserving the peace of our country after the elections."
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"No Photo
ID, No Vote", declares Kufuor
Tamale (Northern Region) 28
November 2000
An NPP government would
de-politicise the Ghana Armed Forces and make it loyal to the state and not to
a particular political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said.
"We will make the Ghana Armed Forces neutral, impartial and professional”, Mr J.A. Kufuor, the party's presidential candidate told a mammoth regional rally in Tamale on Sunday.
Mr Kufuor also warned that the party would resist any attempt to allow people to vote in the December 7 elections without photo identity (ID) cards. He declared:" no photo ID card, no vote!" amid thunderous applause from the crowd who had come from all parts of the Northern Region.
He said the replacement of the
thumb printed voter ID card with photo ID cards was agreed by all political
parties, including the NDC, the donor community and the electoral commission in
a bid to minimise impersonation and rigging.
Mr. Kufuor said the NPP would
abide by the results of the election held freely and fairly.
He stated that the party would
also revolutionalise the agriculture sector and make the country self
sufficient in rice production within two years.
Tamale would become the centre of
modernised agriculture and plant pools would be established all over the
country to enable farmers have easy access to agricultural machinery at
affordable fees.
Nana Akufo-addo, Member of
Parliament for Abuakwa debunked Dr Obed Asamoah, the Attorney General's
assertion that it is unconstitutional not to allow voters with thumb printed ID
card to vote.
"I respect Obed, he is a
senior lawyer, but when it comes to the constitution, we are telling him that
what the EC is doing is in accordance with the constitution".
He said the party would not accept
any results of the elections, for the sake of peace, when it is obvious they
have been rigged.
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Wa (Upper West) 28 November 2000
Mr David Walenkaki, Commissioner of Police for special duties, on Monday cautioned political parties that the public order act of 1994 empowers the police to break up any political rally or special event being held without notifying the police.
"If the law is to be religiously enforced, even wedding ceremonies are not excluded", he added and advised all politicians in the Upper West region to organise their activities to conform to the law or face the consequences of their actions.
Mr Walenkaki who is also the Security Co-ordinator for the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, gave the warning when he addressed representatives of political parties and the regional election security committee at Wa. The NDC, NPP, PNC and Egle Party were represented.
Mr Walenkaki said only politicians in the region continue to hold night rallies without informing the police and advised them to stop or be prepared to face court action.
Mr Clement Eledi and Mr Michael Kabumali, representatives of the NPP and PNC respectively, both lawyers and parliamentary candidates for Wa Central, disagreed with the sentiments expressed by the Police Commissioner. This led to hot exchange of words.
Mr Kabumali said the spirit behind the public order law was for the purpose of the police giving an event security cover and nothing else.
He accused the police of trying to re-introduce permits, which the 1992 constitution abolished. "We will not ask for permit, we have moved from the situation where permission is sought from the police before an event can be held."
Mr Kabumali added, "we may be arrested but that would not work in the interest of democracy."
He further accused Mr Walenkaki of trying to create an uncomfortable working relationship between the police in the region and the political parties.
Mr Eledi said it was only during the night that they can reach out to the electorate in the area because most of them are farmers and traders, hence the night rallies.
He alleged that prior to the 1996 general election, there was a similar ban but the NDC broke it without the police raising a finger.
In reaction, Mr Walenkaki said the public order act is very uncomfortable to politicians "but it cannot be circumvented just because most of you are lawyers"
"You can't intimidate me. I have survived all governments from the colonial era through independence to the present government due to my firmness and bravery," he pointed out.
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Rawlings should leave Mills to do own
campaign - Ms Busia
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 28 November 2000
Ms Ama Busia, First National Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Sunday called on President Jerry Rawlings to step aside for the Vice President, Professor John Atta Mills to do his own campaign.
"Who is the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, is it Mills or Rawlings?" she asked.
"If it is Mills, then, Rawlings should sit down for him to fight his own battle". Ms Busia told an NPP rally at Berekum.
She noted that in the United States, President Bill Clinton was not so much involved in the campaign of his Vice President and the Democratic Party Presidential candidate Al-Gore. "Clinton sat back for Al-Gore to do his campaign".
Ms Busia said she could not fathom any reason why President Rawlings has had to campaign so vigorously for Prof. Mills.
She said if the President thinks Prof. Mills cannot campaign on his own to win political power, why does he have to believe that the Vice President can rule the country.
Although President Rawlings belongs to the NDC, as the father of the nation, he should seek the goodwill of all the candidates.
Ms Busia rejected the Vice President's call on Ghanaians to return the NDC to power for continuity, saying the country is not in the mood to continue in poverty, hunger unemployment and the cash and carry system.
She asked Ghanaians to give their mandate to the NPP for a positive change in their lives.
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Gbeho asks diplomats to assess Ghana
objectively
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 November 2000
Ghana on Monday urged diplomatic missions to demonstrate sensitivity and objectivity in their assessment of situations in the country, especially about the December 7 elections.
They should also avoid interference in Ghana's internal affairs, Mr James Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said in Accra in an address to members of the Diplomatic Corps.
He pledged the government's commitment to fair, free and transparent elections as it did in 1992 and 1996.
Mr Gbeho said: "Despite all our attempts to ensure smooth, open and fair elections, some attempts have been made, whether deliberately or by default, to distort the government's position, sometimes from external sources."
He said this is why the government has reason to show grave concern about "the tendentious utterances of some diplomats," which have the potential to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in this country.
"Worse still these statements tend to project a negative image of Ghana to the outside world."
Referring to what the Deputy British High Commissioner, Mr Craig Murray, said during the recent Speaker's Breakfast Meeting on the issue of Photo ID cards for voters, Mr Gbeho said those remarks, "bordered on direct interference in the internal affairs of Ghana and are clearly unacceptable."
Mr Murray said he had visited about 40 constituencies and that the claim that there were some voters who have not got the voters photo ID cards was neither here nor there.
Mr Gbeho said: "Across the length and breadth of the country, and in many rural constituencies, there are many people who have not been able to have their pictures taken for many reasons."
These reasons include the short period allowed by the Electoral Commission for the photo-taking exercises and poor education of the electorate on the need to take these pictures.
The other reasons are the onset of the farming season, which took away many farmers from the villages to the farms and the non-availability of photographers from the EC for long periods.
"This issue has the potential for creating confusion and disorder during elections," Mr Gbeho said.
Mr Gbeho said the government's position on this matter is "unambiguous" and that if care were not taken, many voters would needlessly be disenfranchised if the EC insists that only those with photo ID cards were qualified to vote.
"Government will like to see voters with Photo ID cards as well as those with thumb-printed cards, who could clearly be identified, as qualified voters being allowed to (vote) so that the results can be seen as a true reflection of the will of the good people of Ghana."
The Minister said without peace and stability, whichever party wins the elections would find it difficult to discharge the mandate to govern. He asked the diplomats to explain this position to their home governments saying; "this is a sensitive issue which touches on the stability of this country."
"The government will not sit back and allow the country to go up in flames after her tireless effort for the past 15 years in ensuring socio-economic development under peace and stability," the minister said.
Mr Gbeho said donor assistance confers no licence on any government or institution to directly or indirectly interfere in matters that fall within the domestic jurisdiction of Ghana.
The British High Commissioner, Dr Rod Pullen, said it was his country's involvement in providing for the voters' photo ID cards that must have necessitated his deputy to make the remarks because they were monitoring the exercise.
But Mr Gbeho said having been a diplomat himself, for a long time, he recognises what is interference and what is not.
"The government and people of Ghana greatly value the material and financial support received from friendly countries as well as some non-governmental organisations towards the administration of the electoral process," the minister said.
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Ada (Greater Accra) 28 November
2000
The Ada Salt Miners Union on
Monday staged a peaceful demonstration to back their demand for the opening of
the seawater into the Songor Lagoon to enable the indigenous people to commence
salt mining.
The seawater, known as brine, has
been blocked for about four months now from entering the lagoon due to attempts
by the Terkperbiawe and Lomobiawe clans of Ada to take over the Songor Task
Force Development Project.
The seawater intake allows the
salt to crystallise in the lagoon, which covers over 50 square kilometres and
its mining serves as a major source of income for the people.
Members of the 10 salt mining
co-operatives gathered near the Songor Lagoon at Bonikope, a suburb of Sege in
the Damgme East District, chanting: "our livelihood depends on the mining
of salt, we shall starve to death if the sea intake is not restored."
They held placards some of which
read: "Government help us", "We cannot afford a meal a
day," "We peacefully demand seawater into the main lagoon",
"We support the Songor management committee" and "Probe the salt
looters."
In a resolution read by Mr
Ransford Kosi, spokesman for the miners, the protesters said the lack of
co-operation between the Lomobiawe and Terkperbiawe clans has resulted in the
drying up of the lagoon bringing untold hardships to the members.
"We commend government for
reasoning with our chiefs almost all of whom reside in Big Ada and Accra and
therefore do not appreciate the hardships their actions have caused those of us
who reside around the Songor lagoon.
The resolution said even though
the government has been able to restore peace and reconstituted the Songor
Project Task Force, the seawater must be opened into the lagoon to enable the
members acquire their daily bread.
The members criticised the statement
by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) calling on the Army Commander to withdraw
soldiers after a clash between the Lomobiawe and Terkperbiawe clans. They said
the withdrawal of the soldiers could have led to chaos, spilling of blood and
loss of lives.
They urged the Serious Fraud
Office to investigate the criminal actions of the Lomobiawe group that led to
the sale of about 2.9 billion cedis worth of salt and bring them to justice.
Nene Klokpa II, a representative
of the Council of Chiefs, said a meeting of all the 10 clans in Ada would be
held on Saturday to reach a compromise on the issue.
He said the Songor Salt Project
does not belong to the Terkperbiawe and Lomobiawe clans alone but to all the
people of Ada.
Mr Atter Ashiamgmor, a youth
representative, called on government to speed up work on the master plan for
the area to enable the youth to have their share of the project.
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Political Parties urged to respect will of
the people
Yendi (Northern Region) 28 November 2000
Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II on Monday asked all political parties to respect the will of the people as would be expressed in the election results and refrain from actions and utterances, which can erode public confidence in the electoral process.
"Elections are about the preferences and wishes of the people and those who use subterfuge and intrigue to doctor the will of the people cannot be democratic," he said.
The Ya-na was speaking during a courtesy call on him at Yendi by a delegation of the Convention People's Party (CPP) led by its national chairman, Dr Abubakar Al-Hassan.
He appealed to the leadership of all the political parties to educate their members to avoid provocative acts and statements, which may lead to destabilisation.
Dr Al-Hassan pledged the full commitment of the CPP to peaceful elections and said his party will respect all the provisions of the country's electoral laws.
"The fact that the CPP has not been party to any acts of political hooliganism and thuggery attests to our commitment."
Dr Al-Hassan urged chiefs to bring their influence to bear on the political leadership to avoid negative campaigning and recourse to violence.
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W. African governments asked to enforce
agreements on environment
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 November 2000
The UNDP resident representative, Mr Alfred Salia Fawundu, on Monday asked Governments in the West Africa sub-region not to only create environmental agreements but do more to enforce them.
This, he said, is necessary if current environmental problems and unsustainable practices in the region are to be reversed to ensure sustainable development.
Mr Fawundu was speaking at the opening of a three-day sub-regional Loop Co-ordinating Conference Workshop on Taxonomy in Accra.
The UNDP, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) and WAFRINET, an NGO, are organising the workshop on the theme: "Taxonomy in Biodiversity and Environmental Support Programme in West Africa."
It brings together participants from 13 countries in the sub-region, including Ghana, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire and Benin to share ideas and pool resources to deal with problems inhibiting the development and growth of taxonomy in the sub-region.
Taxonomy is that branch of science dedicated to discovering, identifying, naming and classifying organisms (species) and understanding their relationships.
It provides an information system based on these relationships and is the foundation of all biological science.
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Roundup: Only Photo ID cards will be
accepted for voting, but..., EC adds exchange of thumb-printed cards still in
progress
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 November 2000
The Electoral Commission (EC) said on Monday that the process of exchanging thumb-printed ID cards for photo ID cards is still continuing.
A statement issued in Accra by Mr Henry Okyne, Director of Public Affairs, said all those who are still in possession of thumb-printed ID cards must avail themselves of that opportunity.
The EC has said only voter's photo ID card will be accepted during the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
However, it said, 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 issue of identification of voters for the elections has become thorny with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) threatening to go to court if voters with thumb-printed cards are not allowed to vote.
Although the EC has sent cameras throughout the country to change all thumb-printed cards into photo ID cards, some voters still do not have the new cards.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP), however, says that people without photo ID cards should not be allowed to vote.
The procedure to follow for those without a voter's ID card is 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
Hometown
Age
f. If the information given by the person is correct in all particulars and the candidate/party agents are satisfied that the person's identity is not in doubt, then allow him/her to go through the voting process.
g. Compile a list of all persons who vote without ID cards.
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Extend date for mopping up exercise-EC
urged
Apam (Central Region) 28 November 2000
The Gomoa District Chief Executive, Mr Kow Anyanful has appealed to the Electoral Commission to extent the date for the mopping-up in the exercise to exchange thumb-printed voter's ID cards for photo ID cards.
Mr Anyanful suggested that the exercise, which is supposed to end all over the country on the 30th of November 2000, should be extended to 5th December.
Speaking to GNA at Apam on Sunday, Mr Anyanful appealed to the commission to make more cameras available to the districts now that the exercise has ended at all regions.
He said since the commission has admitted that not all registered voters have been covered in the exercise, it will be prudent to extend the date and also make more cameras available to the areas where, much is left to be done.
Mr Anyamful, expressed concern over reports about some EC officials, who are thwarting the efforts of voters to obtain the photo ID cards on tribal and religious grounds.
He said the forthcoming elections are so crucial to the country that the EC should ensure that no impediment is placed in the way of any voter.
Mr Anyanful exhorted the media to desist from conducting opinion polls which could create conditions for some people to reject the results of December 7 general elections.
" The level of illiteracy and the partisan politicking in the country are not conducive for the conduct of a reliable opinion poll ", he said.
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Two motor bike riders die in accident
Nsawam (Eastern Region) 28 November 2000
Two men believed to be supporters of the National Reform Party (NRP) died on the spot at the weekend when the motor bike on which they were travelling, collided with a Mercedes Benz bus at Kwasi Nyarko, near Adeiso.
Inspector Emmanuel Kyeremeh of the Nsawam Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit told the GNA on Monday that the two unidentified bodies have been deposited at the Nsawam Government hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Inspector Kyeremeh said the driver of the bus Mr. George Kwame is helping the police in their investigations.
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