ISD News File - Friday, Dec 10, 2004

The Electoral Commission (EC) last night declared President John Agyekum Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the winner of the December 7 presidential election.

President Kufuor polled 4,463,731 votes, representing 52.75 per cent of the 8,615,306 total valid votes cast to secure another mandate of four years.

His closest challenger, Professor J. E. A. Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) secured 3,750,830 votes accounting for 44.32 per cent of the valid votes cast.

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who announced what he described as provisional results at a well-attended press conference in Accra last night, disclosed that the People?s National Convention (PNC) Dr. Edward Mahama polled 163,648 votes represented 1.93 per cent while Mr. George Aggudey of the Convention People?s Party (CPP) had 84,501 votes representing 1.00 per cent.

Dr. Afari-Gyan said, on the basis of the fact that a winner of the presidential poll required 50 plus one votes, he had the honour ?to declare candidate John Agyekum Kufuor as the winner of this year?s presidential election?.

He said the results represented certified ballots from 225 out of 230 constituencies.

The EC Chairman said, results from Bia in the Western Region, Tolon, Yapei Kusagwu and Zabzugu Tatale in the Northern Region and Pru in the Brong Ahafo Region were yet to be certified.

EC CHAIRMAN RESPONDS TO NDC PROTEST LETTER

Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, before declaring the results, responded to a protest letter submitted by the National Democratic Party (NDC), petitioning him to order a recount of the rejected ballots in all the 230 constituencies.

Citing portions of the ?Handbook For Polling Agents? to substantiate his ruling, Dr. Afari-Gyan listed the ground for an Electoral Officer to reject a ballot paper.

He emphasized that no ballots had been rejected at EC headquarters, and that every ballot paper that was judged invalid according to the rules had been rejected at the polling station where the ballot was cast.

Dr. Afari-Gyan stressed that since the political parties had fielded agents at each polling station, all the rejected ballots had been judged invalid in the presence of an appointed agent of the NDC.

Referring to the NDC?s statement that in a number of instances, its polling agents had refused to sign results declarations, he said that although a political party could refuse to endorse polling station results, that refusal was ?a privilege and not a right?. Therefore, he said, the NDC?s refusal to accept some results did not invalidate them.

Dr. Afari-Gyan concluded, ?I, therefore, totally reject the request made by the NDC?.

In another development, the two other presidential candidates, Dr. Edward Mahama of the PNC, and Mr. George Aggudey of the CPP, had already telephoned President Kufuor before the EC?s declaration of the final result, to concede defeat and to congratulate the President on his re-election. The CPP has expressed satisfaction with the results of Tuesday?s election.

The President?s Press Secretary, Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, described the results as ?a victory for democracy?, saying that Ghana had won the admiration of all democratic countries.

The General Secretary of the NPP, Mr. Dan Botwe, told journalists that the party was not surprised by the results, and that ?campaigning for the 2008 elections starts from now, and we are going to make sure we maintain our lead?.

He called on Ghanaians to rally behind the NPP government to enable it to develop the country, adding that ?we need all hands on deck to be able to develop this country?.

CANADA COMMENDS GHANAIANS MATURITY

The Canadian government has congratulated Ghana and its citizens for the peaceful atmosphere in which the elections were held last Tuesday.

A release issued in Accra yesterday and signed by the Political /Economic Relations and Public Affairs Officer of the Canadian High Commission described the elections as ?fair, orderly and transparent?.

The statement said, ?this is a tribute to Ghana?s commitment to democracy and the right of all Ghanaians to choose their government freely?. It added, Canada is proud to have provided election observers and made financial contribution to the electoral process.

?We look for forward to continued close co-operation with Ghana, and with the Ghanaian people, in their quest for democracy progress and development?.

RELIGIOUS BODIES LAUD EC FOR GOOD WORK

The Electoral Observation Committee of Religious Bodies has commended the Electoral Commission (EC), political parties, the media and the security services for conducting a peaceful election.

?It is our hope that the spirit of transparency and fair play that characterized the general election of December 7, 2004, will be sustained by all Ghanaians, it added.

This was contained in a press statement issued in Accra yesterday by the committee and jointly signed by the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, and the Secretary-General of the National Catholic Secretariat, Rev. Monsignor Seth Osei Agyeman.

The statement, however, expressed concern about improper voter education, which made some voters confused as to the proper procedure for thumb-printing and folding the ballot papers.

?The result was a high number of ballot papers being rejected as invalid?, it pointed out.

CODEO SAYS ELECTION WAS PEACEFUL, FREE AND FAIR

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has described this year?s election as peaceful, free and fair.

It said, in spite of reported minor incidents in some parts of the country, the general polling on election day was transparent.

At a press conference in Accra yesterday, a co-chairman of the (CODEO), Professor Miranda Greenstreet, said the ?peaceful conduct of the elections once again demonstrates the ability of our established institutions to function properly in a democracy?.

The CODEO, as part of its contributions to the transparency and integrity of the December elections, deployed 7,400 observers nationwide to observe the elections.

Professor Greenstreet praised the massive voter turnout and noted that there was an indication that turnout figures would exceed the 2000 level of 62.0 per cent.

?There was compelling evidence across the country that voters understood their electoral rights and responsibilities, as the polling process across the nation generally went quite smoothly?, she said.

Professor Greenstreet also commended the Electoral Commission (EC), for supplying voting materials to the over 21,000 polling stations across the country in spite of some hiccups.

She noted that the officials acted in the entirely non-partisan and professional manner, and were well apprised of the rules and regulations established by the EC.