Election 2008 Code of Conduct guidelines outdoored

Accra, July 24, GNA - A Code of Conduct to regulate the operations of political parties contesting Election 2008 was on Thursday outdoored in Accra with a call on politicians to adhere to its letter and spirit. The code focuses on the democratic imperatives, campaigning procedure, out-of-campaign activities, elections, enforcement and implementation guidelines and seeks to direct the mode of political activities to ensure decorum before, during and after the December polls.

The Code was developed by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE), Electoral Commission (EC), National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the People's National Convention (PNC).

Others were Convention People's Party (CPP), Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), EGLE Party, United Love Party (ULP), United Renaissance Party (URP) and the Ghana National Party (GNP).

The 24-page booklet has the insignia of nine political parties and the photograph of electoral officials sorting out ballot papers while a police officer and party agents watched on the cover.

The Reverend Dr Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, who launched the Code, charged politicians to subject themselves to their own standard, face up to behaviours, norms and practices within their parties that must change. They should create the willingness in the mind of party leadership and members to move beyond insults to the discussion of ideas, build shared ownership of the nation's destiny with other political parties and people with opposing views and reward behaviour which support a new culture of peace and sanction aberrant behaviour.

He explained that Election 2008 Code of Conduct had enshrined in it mechanism for its enforcement by the Inter-Party Monitoring Committee which had the powers to investigate breaches of the code and sanction offending parties.

Rev Otabil charged politicians to demonstrate that politics was not a game of life and death.

"The priorities of our nation and the welfare of its people must animate the thoughts and actions of politicians so that in pursuing their party's interest, the national interest would remain pre-eminent." He urged politicians to conduct this year's elections based on ideas and not belittling of opponents. They should strive to live by the ethics of fairness, equity and good judgment in relating to one another and resist the temptation to exploit the high levels of illiteracy for cheap political advantage.

Rev. Otabil said the Ghanaian electorate demanded decency, honesty and a contest of well thought out ideas from the politicians, stressing, "we must leave our childish behaviours behind and increasingly act with more wisdom, decorum and restraint.

"To subordinate partisan interest does not imply the erasure of a political party's unique value and ideology. Rather it signifies the preparedness of a self-assured group to enrich itself through mature open-hearted exchanges with its opponents."

An 11-member National Enforcement Body headed by the Rev. Fred Deegbe, General Secretary of the Christian Council, was inaugurated to monitor political parties for any infractions. Representatives of the nine political parties, EC, NCCE, police, civil society organizations and media practitioners attended the launch.