POSDEV and Partners launch Election 2012 Project

Dr Margaret Kweku, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, (MCE) has urged Ghanaians to uphold the national interest and cohesion through the electioneering processes and campaigns to avoid eroding the gains made by the country’s fledgling democracy.

He asked the major stakeholders to create the necessary political awareness and consciousness for safeguarding the national interest and aspirations and bury their personal or parochial interests.

Dr Kweku was addressing participants at the launch of the Election 2012 Project organized by the Pan-African Organisation for Sustainable Development (POSDEV) under the auspices of Star-Ghana, governance and development institutions with funding support from the Department of International Development and the European Union.

She said “tolerance was the watch-word” for all stakeholders and called on political parties and supporters to be civil in their utterances and limit discussions to issues to engender public discourse.

The MCE noted that the “country stands tall in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond as the beacon of hope for democratisation and Constitutionalism” saying, the time is ripe again to consolidate that position to inspire emulation by others.

Dr Kweku urged political parties to continue to educate their members on the Biometric Voter Registration, electoral laws, political tolerance and evolve benchmarks that would name and shame errant members.

She entreated all stakeholders to remain resolute, recognising that “peace is paramount, invaluable and everything.”

Dr Kweku reminded the public to patronize the upcoming biometric registration as a first step to guaranteeing free and fair elections later in the year.

Mr Isaac K. Abrokwa, Principal Technical Director of POSDEV, said studies done by the Economic Intelligence Unit, a UK-based governance outfit have predicted the closeness of the impending general election amidst high stakes.

He said it was, therefore, incumbent on independent governance institutions, traditional and religious establishments, the media, civil society groups and NGOs to redouble efforts towards a peaceful election.

Mr Abrokwa attributed causes of electoral violence to issues of challenging the registration of minors and perceived foreigners, snatching of ballot boxes, contending parties staging rallies in the same locality at the same time, incitement and intimidation.

Others are, media inciting disaffection and setting negative political agenda for chaos, vandalism and defacing of posters, accusations and counter, the absence or compromise of security personnel.

He said POSDEV operated in six districts comprising, Hohoe, Berekum, Agona East, Sekyere South, West Akim and Ahanta West to facilitate transparent, fair and violence-free elections to prevent political tension and polarization.**