CPP Young Progressive calls on NPP to ensure free and fair elections

A CPP Young Progressive calls on NPP to ensure free and fair elections in Ghana.

“The stakes are high in the battle against economic mismanagement in Ghana” says Ben Attah Hayford, a member of the CPP Young Progressives. Speaking to the International news media about the December 2008 elections in Ghana, Mr Hayford said “In 2008 the authority to govern Ghana shall be based on the will of the people through the ballot box and not through fraudulent means”.

Mr Hayford said the NPP government of John Kuffuor must take all the necessary measures to ensure total transparency of the entire 2008 election process. He said “the onus is now on the NPP government, as the incumbent, to ensure every one enjoy equal security and take the necessary measures to prevent electoral violence in the country”. He said the Electoral Commission can only announce the results of the presidential elections after it has been verified by all the parties against the electoral register to ensure every vote cast is counted and not ghost votes”. My Hayford said, “Every votes counts, and every vote cast in 2008 will be check against the electoral register and count”.

My Hayford said all the parties must ensure that the 2008 ballot is conducted in an orderly manner to avoid any illegality. He caution that any party that goes to the press to announce results of the presidential elections without the will of the electorate will throw the country in chaos, citing the malpractices of the 2004 elections as classic example. Mr Hayford that today that option is ruled out, because the Ghanaian people feel they are strong and will not allow flawed politicians to deceive them.

Citing the clear evidence for the massive election fraud in Kenya and Zimbabwe, Mr Hayford said “strangely thousands of people only voted in the presidential elections and not in the parliamentary elections which was running parallel”, and said such blatant fraud would never be allowed to occur in the Ghana 2008 elections.

Already the pronouncements of certain politicians in both the ruling party and the opposition NDC has led to anger amongst sections of the population. Mr Hayford said these deliberate boosted tensions, using divide and rule tactics by unscrupulous and shameful individuals must stop and forcefully stated that the stability of the is more important more important that electoral violence.

Mr Hayford said the situation facing many Ghanaian people is determined by their daily struggle for survival. He said in almost every region that CPP goes the Ghanaian people say to them, “we need clean drinking water, access to health care, decent housing, electricity. We are going to vote for CPP, because you are the only party that can guarantee create opportunities for us and our children”. My Hayford said those who are suffering are mostly poor people, majority living in unacceptable conditions and can hardly support their family. He said, “It is clear the situation of working people and the poor in Ghana will not change under NPP or NDC. Only CPP can ensure the working people and the poor have a stake in the economy”.

“It is only CPP which can unite working people and the poor of all ethnicities, to defend their interests. For the first time in nearly 42 years working and poor people have a party that is prepared to defend their self esteem as citizens of Ghana and not as second class citizens”.

For the first time since 1966, CPP Young Progressives are affirming the fundamental ideals of true democracy and equality. In addition to calling for “free and fair elections” they are advocating for the poorest of the poor participation in the socio-economic development of the country. They are asserting the crucial role of the poor in the political and economic development by giving them a voice.

The young politicians occupying the progressive wing of CPP are forcefully articulating the voices of the economically disadvantage, slum dwellers, the youth, jobless graduates, market women, fishermen and farmers. Mr Hayford said, “The political participation of the disadvantage is essential for the unity and development of our motherland. It is therefore of prime importance to involve them to effect change. The selfless devotion to the service of their motherland is phenomenal. Their solidarity in defence of the fundamental rights of the poor is beyond doubt. They have called for freedom for key democratic institutions, including the media, press and the judiciary.