3 June 2008Posted to the web 3 June 2008
Charles Takyi-Boadu
A report issued by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers' (CODEO's) Field Observers (FOs), has exposed the District Chief Executive of the Offinso-North district, Augustine Collins Ntim for abusing state resources. The May edition of CODEOs report on the activities of the various political parties noted the abuse of public resources by some public officials contesting the primaries.
The report, which was issued and signed by Professor Miranda Greenstreet, the co-Chair of CODEOs Advisory Board, said the DCE for Offinso-North was seen using a state vehicle for partisan campaign.
Considering the fact that it deplores such abuses that tilt the political playing field to the disadvantage of members in the opposition parties, CODEO has urged all incumbents seeking political appointments to strictly adhere to the legislative provisions which govern the conduct of public officials who wish to contest in partisan elections.
The primaries of the various political parties dominated the pre-election environment reports submitted by the group.
The FO's observed intense activities by the various political parties conducting primaries, aspirants' campaigns, the conduct of primaries and the post-primary environment.
It noted that the processes have been smooth and peaceful concerning most primaries, with the supervision of officials of the Electoral Commission who ensured a strict compliance with electoral laws at the polls. This is "in spite of the smooth processes in most of the primaries' nomination and vetting procedures and unfair vetting and verdicts and threats of violence by aspirants and their supporters", it emphasised.
In the Effia Kwesimintsim constituency in the Western region for instance, the group noted that the primaries had been suspended on account of such claims. Similarly, in the Volta region, some party activists, disappointed with the manipulation of the vetting process by party executives have even sought court injunction to halt the NDC primary in a constituency.
The FO's report also indicated that some vote buying occurred. They reported allegations of camping and distribution of monies to delegates. In the Agona-Swedru constituency in the Central region for instance, each delegate was alleged to have received between GHË 300 - GHË 1,000 from an aspirant.
The report further has it that a few women were victorious in party primaries in some constituencies including Koforidua, Bolgatanga, Lower West Akim, Ayawaso West Wuogon and Asante Akim North.
However, it noted that the participation of women and persons with disability in the process has so far been unimpressive.
It thus urged the various political parties to initiate measures to enhance their participation in the ongoing primaries and the forthcoming elections.
The FO's reported on some of the activities and campaigns of the Flag bearers of the political parties in the Greater Accra, Western, Central and Northern regions to garner support, have it that they were free of violence and acrimony.
The National Commission of Civic Education (NCCE) has also rolled out a series of civic education programmes on the upcoming elections on some local FM stations in the Effia-Kwesimintsim and Shama constituencies in the Western region.
CODEO has commended the NCCE for its proactive posture and urged that this be replicated in the other regions to educate citizens on their rights and responsibilities in the electoral process.
The FO's kept a watch on the activities and operations of the Electoral Commission (EC), some of which were to facilitate regional Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings in the Eastern and Central regions to discuss pertinent issues in the electoral process, and to assure stakeholders of its commitment to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
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It lauded this exercise, since according to CODEO it seeks to build mutual trust among stakeholders in the electoral process and urged its replication in the other regions.
CODEO has also extended a warm handshake to the police administration in the Western region for organising a consultative meeting with political parties to discuss security implications of their activities in the wake of intra-party squabbles in the region.
It expressed the wish that such meetings would also be held in other regions to ensure that the ongoing parties' primaries and forthcoming election are conducted in a peaceful and none violent atmosphere.
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