Manifestos are just intents, not binding on parties – Lee Ocran

The Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Lee Ocran, says political manifestos are mere expression of intents and not a promise that binds political parties.

Delays by the various political parties in the country in releasing their manifestos ahead of the November 7 general elections have generated debate in the country.

Some people have over the years raised concerns over the failure of parties to implement policies and promises contained in their manifestos But speaking on 3FM’s Late Edition programme Thursday, Mr Ocran argued political parties cannot be subjected to strict implementation of their manifestos since they are not binding on them.

“Somebody was asking me about manifesto, I told the person the first manifesto in the world was the Ten Commandments that is God’s manifesto he gave to Moses. Have we complied with that?,” he argued.

For him, it is no crime for a political party to fail in the implementation of its manifesto, saying “so if a politician gives a promise and he is not able to fulfill that what crime has he committed, what crime, I will tell you a manifesto is an expression of intents” he asserted. With barely five months to the elections, only the Independent People’s Party has unveiled its manifesto.