The opposition National Democratic Congress has in response to a call by President John Kuffour promised to contest the 2004 general elections on issues and in fairness in a trouble-free environment devoid of insults.
President Kufuor told the NPP national delegates congress in Cape Coast over the weekend that he was committed to an election played on a level playing field and urged all opposition parties to do same.
NDC Youth Organiser and national executive member Haruna Idrissu says his party is committed to the principles that the President asked for. "We have already promised standards of fairness. We would fight these elections on policy issues, on corruption, abuse of office and on the failed promises of the New Patriotic Party."
Haruna said the problems that has plagued Ghana's democracy in the past like vote buying, insults among other vices were part of the learning process saying things would get better with time.
Contrary to the widely held view that the NPP is likely to retain power in 2004, Haruna said that election looks more promising for NDC than many think. "In 2000, the NPP had no record of their own but the NDC had done many things they could be judged by. Today, there are indicators that we can measure the NPP by and debate issues in the campaigning for the elections," he said.
Haruna who represented the NPP at the Congress then went to challenge the President's attitude to fight corruption saying he has not shown enough commitment to battling the canker.
"The president appeared helpless at the congress. He threw his hands in despair whiles talking about corruption and said it was a human problem which pertains in America, Japan and elsewhere. That is an admission that there is corruption in his administration and whiles I admit that it is human, I think he has not fought it well.
"You need to make it a high risk venture and unattractive but President Kuffour is just not prepared open his ministers to investigations of corruption charges."
Haruna admitted the corruption was a problem in the NDC administration but said that does not mean they cannot raise issues in that regard. "I thought the meaning of positive change is that things must get better. It is therefore porous and flimsy for anyone to say the NDC did it so why should they complain."
