body-container-line-1
13.01.2016 Feature Article

2016 Elections, “All Eyes On Ghana”

2016 Elections, All Eyes On Ghana
13.01.2016 LISTEN

The head of Electoral Commission [E.C.] in Burkina Faso, Barthelemy Kere after conducting successful elections in that country stated that the exercise “was free and transparent”.

In her remarks, “the election went off in calm and serenity, which showed the maturity of the people of Burkina Faso”.

Three French speaking neighboring countries-Togo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Nigeria in 2015 handed over the baton of transparent free and fair elections to Ghana.

This is mounting pressure on the E.C. because Ghanaians are faced with the realization that everything now in the country hinges on the November 7 elections.

Should the eligible Ghanaian voters expect such remarks from the chairman of the E.C. Mrs. Charlotte Osei after November 7 presidential and parliamentary elections?

The election clock is ticking louder and moving faster towards the D-day for this national exercise as all eyes are now on Ghana.

AUTHOR REPORTED FOR THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE NEWSPAPER BEFORE MOVING TO TORONTO-CANADA.

ALL EYES ON GHANA QUAYE [PAGE1]
The past year 2015, has provided over abundance of bad news on political instability and good news on consolidation of democracy in Africa and the world over.

Over abundance of bad news on political instability was recorded in Syria, Yemen, Guinea Bissau and Burundi.

Before the beginning of the past year, a West African magazine analysis predicted that the sub region was heading towards “political turbulence”.

It was citizens of Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso were going to the polls, many cases against a backdrop of political instability.

The analysis pointed out that 2015 was to be critical for the consolidation of democracy in West Africa.

But all these four West African countries held free, transparent and violence free elections.

Looking back, one can say that Ghana has had a difficult time in preparing for the great exercise in electing the next president and parliamentarians this year.

ALL EYES ON GHANA QUAYE [PAGE 2]
Argument that the voters register is bloated with foreign nationals and the need to create a new credible voters register still rages on.

The internal squabbles involving some members of the New Patriotic Party NPP have not been totally solved which is threatening the fortunes of the party.

Numerous scandals involving NDC government ministers as was exposed last year also seem to sink the NDC party in the election sea.

With the major challenge being cross border voting involving Togolese, Ivoirians and Burkinabe’s in Ghana which is not allowed.

One would like to ask is the Electoral Commission prepared to hold fair, transparent and violent free elections.

The election clock is moving faster as it ticks louder mounting pressure on the questionable independent Electoral Commission E.C. of Ghana.

Really pressure is currently mounting on the E.C. because Ghanaians are faced with the realization that everything now in the country hinges on the upcoming elections.

ALL EYES ON GHANA QUAYE [PAGE 3]
This is because with all four West African states having been through successful elections to consolidate democracy in their respective nations, the challenge is now on Ghana to complete the exercise to maintain peace in the sub region.

The last time Ghanaians went to the polls in 2012, the NPP presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo did not accept the results and petitioned the supreme court of the land where a whole book of how the elections suffered turbulence was written.

Why the election results were not accepted, the NPP filed a petition at the Supreme Court which took eight solid months to officially declare the winner of the elections.

Another major test is set for November 7, this year to declare to the whole world that when it comes to electing president’s and law makers, Ghana has the know how in a free, transparent and fair manner and it can not fail.

In all these elections, United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS, National Consultation of Civil Societies across the sub region felt the elections were free and transparent.

ALL EYES ON GHANA QUAYE [PAGE 4]
There was no report of foreign nationals fomenting trouble by crossing the border of their native land to vote in other countries neither were there election petitions to challenge the results.

With these West African countries handing over the baton of elections to Ghana, all eyes are watching whether the E.C. will emulate the aforementioned countries in holding a peaceful election this year.

body-container-line