The Ballot Box.

Ghana has once again demonstrated to the whole world that, the African can manage his own affairs. Many were those who wished doom and destruction for the country as the 2012 general elections were approaching. The international media and our own domestic media houses were always predicting some level of chaos and violence once the time was getting closer to the election day. But due to the prayers and steadfastness of Ghanaians, and the security agencies nothing untoward happened on the election day. The election passed off peacefully and it was described by both foreign and domestic observers as free and fair despite the minor incidents that usually characterizes elections. Ghanaians were so eager to exercise their constitutional right to the extent that some of them went to form long queues the day before the elections. Those who could not endure the long wait had to resort to the use of stones, cooking utensils, sticks and other implements to denote their positions in the queues, so as to come back the next day and find themselves still in the queue. Some parents also asked their children to form the queues on their behalf. On the voting day, things went on smoothly despite the breakdown of some of the verification machines with some areas in the country having to vote the next day. All the parties agreed to this measure which was taken so as not to disenfranchise eligible voters. The various political parties had their polling agents stationed at all the polling centers and vigilance was the keyword. The various media houses were not left out as they had reporters all over the country to give updates on the situation at the various polling stations. Security was at its best, and i must commend all the security agencies for the professional manner in which they conducted themselves. There was some level of tension as the results were trickling in from the various collation centers into the Electoral Commission's Strong Room for the Chairman to certify them. At one point a particular party was leading and its supporters were jubilating, at another point the tide turned and the other side also started jubilating. But when the final results were declared by the Electoral Commissioner, the looser was contesting the outcome and has decided to challenge some of the figures. Are Ghanaians willing and ready to continue electing their leaders from the Ballot Box? My answer would be in the affirmative as a result of what has been witnessed since the return to constitutional rule in 1992. To all those Members of Parliament who take their constituents for granted and wait till election time before they do something for them, the Ballot Box will determine your fate in the next four years, so you must hit the ground running. We have only one Ghana, let us maintain and preserve the peace that we are currently enjoying. Some branding for the country on Ghana being peaceful would help project the country, and i hope the authorities and civil societies would be reading this piece. God bless Ghana my homeland, amen.