Reform system to allow smaller parties in parliament - Attor

Ho, July 7, GNA - Mr Kofi Attor, deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for the adoption of proportional representation as part of Ghana's Electoral System to afford smaller parties the opportunity to be in parliament.

He said with the adoption of such a system, political parties such as the Egle Party, the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and other small parties could gain seats in parliament in proportion to the votes they win.

Mr Attor made the call at a reception organised by Mr Francis Agbotse, MP for Ho West, for media practitioners in Ho on Sunday.

He was recounting his experiences from a one-week visit by general secretaries of the NDC, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention Party (CP) and the People's National Convention (PNC) to Germany at the invitation of political parties there.

Mr Attor, the MP for Ho Central, explained that proportional representation, though complex, is worth adopting in Ghana because of its potential for enriching the representative character of Parliament by promoting greater pluralism in the house.

Mr Attor described the visit as worthwhile because apart from the useful lessons for effective party organisation, it also afforded the four general secretaries the opportunity to get over their political prejudices.

He commended his colleagues for their good inter-personal relations and level-headedness.

Mr Attor said the visit, sponsored by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation of Germany, gave them the opportunity to take lessons on preparations towards electioneering, the importance of the media in electioneering campaigns, fund raising and the selection of parliamentary candidates.

Mr Agbotse commended media practitioners for their level of co-operation with MP's in the Ho district and appealed to them to forge much closer relations with the MP's.

He urged the practitioners to be circumspect in reporting on sensitive and controversial issues in order not rpt not to undermine the development of the region.