Ghana’s 2012 elections: Parties will do anything possible to win – NCCE
Ghana’s 2012 elections (presidential and parliamentary) is seen by many as a test for the country again following the 2008 elections.
Even though there are many political parties in the country, the general polls since 1992 when the fourth republic began, has always been a two horse race between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Both parties have tasted power.
Incumbent President John Atta Mills is yet to complete his first term of office by 2012 and has been elected by his party (NDC) after beating the wife of former President Rawlings, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, to be the party’s flagbearer for the 2012 elections.
His presidency has received sharp criticisms from some sections of the general public especially from the major opposition party NPP on his leadership style tagging him a ‘one-term president’ instead of two which has been the norm since Ghana began the Fourth Republican Constitutional journey in 1992.
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has described the 2012 election as an election that will be unique, not a ‘joke’ since both parties stand a high chance of winning.
Speaking to ghanabusinessnews.com on the sidelines of an elections dialogue among the youth organised by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in Accra September 24, 2011, Mr Sumuel Akuamoah, Public Education Director at NCCE said that the “the 2012 elections is not a joke, it’s unique and both parties are bent on winning by doing anything possible.”
The dialogue was on the theme “promoting Ghana’s 2012 elections: The role of the youth”. It brought together stakeholders including Student Representative Councils, National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Community Youth groups, Political party youth groups, among others.
Mr Akuamoah explained that President Mills will want to secure his second term in office and NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo, who came close to winning power in 2008, will this time around not sit down and get defeated again.
“Nana Addo for instance is leading his party – He has never won it… He came so close in winning it but did not. You think this time around he should sit down?”
On President Mills Mr. Akuamoah said “You see where there is precedence then it becomes difficult for people to depart from that. There had been a precedence given when people are chastising him that you are not a two-term president. Atta Mills you are not a two- term president – how will you feel as a human being?”
“Both Mills and Akufo-Addo have something to cherish and defend to get the mandate of the people by all means. Professor Mills has had only one term and he will do everything possible to go for the second term” he told ghanabusinessnews.com.
He cautioned Ghanaians not to be complacent “with our election credentials, even though we are achieving and hold onto the momentum and success of elections”.
Already, government has indicated that it will ensure the 2012 elections will be free and fair and President Mills in his speech at the 66th United Nations General Assembly said “To ensure that Ghanaians enjoy an election which is peaceful, free and fair, the Electoral Commission, which has successfully conducted the last three elections, since 2000, has put in place measures that will safeguard the rights of the people to elect a government of their own choice. Ghana’s democratic credentials stand tall, and we intend to keep it that way.”
He called on the United Nations and the international community to keep an eye on the elections just as they did in 2008.
Mr Charles Ayamdoo, Director of Anti-Corruption Department at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) who was chairman of the occasion said the youth should be responsible leaders in the future and not to repeat the bad deeds of their elders.
By Ekow Quandzie