Charlotte Osei promises ‘world-class’ elections on December 7

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facts 9 years ago

No Wonder, Mahama appointed her

No Wonder, Mahama appointed her
ADWEN 9 years ago

As a result of a single appearance, stupid NDC and Ghanaians have started using terminologies such as - "world class", "strategic", etc. Do these idiots know what processes go into achieving a world class performance.
This E ...
read full comment

As a result of a single appearance, stupid NDC and Ghanaians have started using terminologies such as - "world class", "strategic", etc. Do these idiots know what processes go into achieving a world class performance.
This EC Chairperson is showing naivity and incompetence everyday. Does appointing professionals like lawyers and accountants replace the implementation of effective control systems? What controls and systems will alert potential inconsistencies and weaknesses? This dimwit, inexperienced girl thinks lawyers and accountants are alternatives to effective control mechanisms and you have equally naïve NDC idiots and Ghanaians hailing this simplistic yet naïve idea as "world class"? Ghanaians are jokers!!
anokwa 3tw3 y3d3 papaapa 9 years ago

You better try nothing funny as we know atopahene kofi dubai is fucking your pussy...you will be the first person to be attacked incase anything happens

You better try nothing funny as we know atopahene kofi dubai is fucking your pussy...you will be the first person to be attacked incase anything happens
Mahmoud 9 years ago

Author: Kafui Ama
Date: 2009-07-23 01:44:06

Please be patient and read this to the end.

By Craig Murray, former Deputy British High Commisssioner to Ghana | Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009

In 2004, Craig Mur ...
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Author: Kafui Ama
Date: 2009-07-23 01:44:06

Please be patient and read this to the end.

By Craig Murray, former Deputy British High Commisssioner to Ghana | Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009

In 2004, Craig Murray was famously removed as British Ambassador in Uzbekistan after accusing the Uzbek government of human rights abuses. But from 1998 to 2002, Murray served as Deputy High Commissioner in Ghana. Here he tells how, against all odds, he helped leave a legacy of free and fair elections in the African country... It was November 1999 and I'd been Deputy High Commissioner in Ghana for almost a year - the culmination of 15 years' Foreign Office service in Nigeria, Warsaw and the equatorial Africa department in London.

I'd always been passionate about Africa and had immersed myself in its minutiae. Nevertheless, my father, who had a timber yard in Ghana in the Sixties, offered a little extra counsel before I departed, aged 40. 'If you see any good-looking girl, aged about 30, light skinned, whatever you do, don't touch her - she could be your sister!'

Not that this was a big concern for me. My most pressing duty was the 1999 State Visit by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Enhanced Coverage Linking the Duke of Edinburgh, -Search using: Biographies Plus News, Most Recent 60 Days, accompanied by Robin Cook, the then Foreign Secretary. It was a three-day blur of activity, the teeming crowds displaying an uncomplicated and old-fashioned reverence.

A warning that the Duke was averse to looking at things without useful purpose proved absolutely right. As we stood looking at the strip of brass laid in a churchyard that marked the line of the Greenwich Meridian, he said to me: 'A line in the ground, eh? Very nice.'

Ghana epitomises much of the best of Africa, but also throws into relief the tragedy of the continent. It has maintained its higher education and has fewer extremes of wealth than elsewhere. But at independence in 1957, Ghana was richer than Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia or Singapore. Today, those countries are at least ten times as wealthy.

Corruption, cronyism, economic mismanagement, irresponsible lending by the West and the dumping of cheap food all did for Ghana. When I arrived with my wife Fiona and children Jamie and Emily, Ghana had been ruled for 20 years by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings.

The son of a Stirlingshire pharmacist and a local woman, he seized power in a coup in 1979, but claimed to have won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, despite allegations of vote-rigging.
In his early years, Rawlings unleashed a political terror on Ghana. His campaign against the middle classes resembled Mao's Cultural Revolution. People were persecuted for having savings or two indoor lavatories. Market women were sometimes killed for 'profiteering'.

The Queen's visit delighted Rawlings, who craved international respectability. I, too, was determined to make the most of the trip, by helping ensure Rawlings gave up power by the start of 2001, as the constitution required because he had served two four-year terms.

The Queen's speech to the parliament in the capital, Accra, was to be the focus of the visit and I had contributed to its drafting. It contained the usual guff about a future based upon partnership, but there was a sting in the tail. 'Next, year, Mr President,' the Queen intoned, 'you will step down after two terms in office in accordance with your constitution.' The opposition benches went wild and the Queen stopped, looking in bewilderment at the hullabaloo.

Afterwards, Robin Cook was furious. 'It's a disaster. Who the hell drafted that?'

'Er, I did, Secretary of State,' I said. 'I might have guessed! Who the hell approved it?' 'You did.' Cook's Private Secretary had to dig out the draft he had signed. After the State banquet, I retired to a hotel bar with the Royal Household. The senior staff had withdrawn to allow the butlers, footmen and hairdressers to let off steam.

The party appeared, to a man, to be gay. Not just gay, but outrageously camp. We'd taken the hotel for the Royal party, but allowed the British Airways crew to stay. Now three cabin stewards, two Royal footmen and a Royal hairdresser were grouped around the piano singing hits from Cabaret. I was seated on a sofa and across from me in an armchair was a member of the Household who seemed out of place. The valet looked to be in his 60s, a grizzled NCO with tufts of hair either side of a bald pate, a boxer's nose and tattoos on his arms.

He was smoking roll-ups. I turned to the old warrior and said: 'Don't you find all this a bit strange sometimes?' He lent forward, put his hand on my bare knee below the kilt I wore on ceremonial occasions and said: 'Listen, ducks. I was in the Navy for 30 years.' I think he was joking, but some things are too weird even for me. The lower reaches of the Royal Household are one of them.

One enjoyable aspect of our time in Ghana was the constant stream of visitors. Among them was Peter Hain, the Minister for Africa. Hain, a good footballer, agreed to play in a charity match between children from a community football scheme and the High Commission.

Unfortunately, the ground was hard and the opposition turned out to be super-fit professionals. After a heavy tackle, I went down. Result: a dislocated shoulder. I couldn't move my arm for eight weeks. Other visitors included Clare Short, at the time Secretary of State for International Development.

She was in Ghana to try to persuade it to join a debt relief scheme. At a dinner for her, a Minister had made a speech about how much Ghana had learnt from the British Empire. Short stood up and expostulated: 'The British Empire! Don't tell me about the British Empire. I know about British colonialism. My father was Irish and we know about British colonialism. I'll tell you what the British did to your country. They exploited it, that's what they did. They exploited it.' After a few moments of stunned silence, the dinner continued.

On another occasion we were joined by Bobby Charlton, who came to Ghana seeking support for England's bid to host the 2006 World Cup. He was still an astounding player at 60 and it was good of him to get on the pitch for a local community football programme. Nevertheless, I found Charlton disappointing. He was self-centred and ratty - one of those heroes you wish you hadn't met.

Conversely, Roger Moore, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, was charming and suave, just as you would expect, with a fund of brilliant stories beginning with lines such as: 'One day, Frank, Dean, Tony and I decided to play a trick on Marilyn ... ' He was also well briefed about children's issues in Ghana and was prepared not just to do PR, but to get his hands dirty helping in refugee camps without a camera in sight.

I was less taken with Jamie Theakston.

The BBC were filming a wildlife programme in Ghana, looking at the endangered green turtle population near Ada. A group of young volunteers had accompanied the BBC team to help the newly-born turtles to reach the ocean. But one girl, in her mid-20s, had streams of mascara running down her cheeks. She claimed Theakston had just broken up with her - yet here he was, surrounded by young women, enjoying the adulation.

I had bigger concerns, however. Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections were due in December 2000 and there were signs that its 11 million voters might be preparing for a change of government. Enthusiasm for politics was everywhere. Even in the meanest village, people gathered under the banyan tree listening to FM stations on a battered transistor and arguing about the coming change.

In the West, tired of our politicians' deceit, we no longer much value democracy. It is wonderful to see a people exercising for the first time their power over those who would govern them. Our job was to see the elections were free and fair, with Britain funding a £10 million programme for photo-ID cards to reduce electoral fraud. The exercise eradicated one million fake names.

Another practical new weapon was indelible ink: when somebody voted, their thumb was painted to stop them casting more than one vote. India was the only source of a truly permanent ink that could not be washed or rubbed off. I had also persuaded the Foreign Office to provide experts from the Electoral Reform Society. Further valuable additions were two British MPs, Roger Gale and Nigel Jones.

Rawlings's party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), put up the vice President, John Atta Mills, as its presidential candidate. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) fielded John Kufuor. There is a tribal element in Ghanaian politics: the Ewe people vote overwhelmingly NDC; the Ashanti overwhelmingly NPP.

It was clear the governing party would not abandon power easily. Alarmed that it would lose, it had the high court declare the ID cards illegal because they disenfranchised legitimate voters. But the ruling was to no avail - the people took over. Polling station officers decided they were going to use ID cards anyway.

When first- round votes on December 7 were tallied; Kufuor had 48.4 per cent against Atta Mills's 44.8 per cent. The opposition was heading for a small majority but, with no candidate exceeding 50 per cent, a run- off was required. Ghana's 30 or so FM stations were vital in bringing democracy, so it was no surprise that the NDC moved against them.

On the evening before the poll, I took Roger Gale and Nigel Jones to visit Joy FM, possibly Ghana's most influential station. We were sitting in the office when an armed posse of Rawlings's security men arrived, saying they were closing the station on the President's instructions.

‘Good evening,' I said. ‘I am Craig Murray, Deputy British High Commissioner, and these gentlemen are Mr Roger Gale MP and Mr Nigel Jones MP, members of the British Parliament.' Gale added: ' Obviously there has been some mistake.

I thought I heard you say that you were closing down the station, but we are here to visit our fellow democracy, Ghana, and democracies don't close down radio stations.' The goons left. Joy FM never was closed. However, the NDC started to think I was a part of their problem and they assigned a secret service team to follow me around.

As the second round on December 28 approached, we discovered a problem: not enough Indian ink. We had paid for more, but it had to be specially made and would not be ready until December 24. This was cutting it tight and action was needed. Chartering a private plane to set off from India on Christmas Eve was easier said than done. Whitehall was in festive mode and unlikely to sanction spending quickly, so I used the Embassy's budget to pay for it.

Ghana's government did not want the Indian ink to get in and I was concerned it would be delayed by customs officials. So on Christmas Day 2000, instead of eating turkey, I stood baking on the airport tarmac. When our plane taxied in, we unloaded the boxes of little ink bottles on to two trucks. I escorted these out of the VIP gateway, helped by a substantial tip to the guards.

The truck drivers then delivered the ink to regional centres for distribution to constituencies. This was a game being played for high stakes, with real danger of civil war.

Hotheads in the ruling party might claim electoral fraud and mount a military takeover. The Ashanti could also react violently to losing. Every embassy was updating evacuation plans. Around 1am, the results started to come in. There was a more or less consistent swing to the opposition candidate, John Kufuor. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife.

The coolest man in Ghana that night was the wry, chain-smoking Electoral Commissioner, Kwadwo Afari- Gyan, who received constant threatening phone calls instructing him to fix the result. Each time, the Electoral Commissioner replied: ' The result will be what the result will be. I am just making sure it is fairly counted.' Then, taking his umpteenth call, he stiffened. He summoned me to listen: it was his wife. Soldiers had come to their bungalow, taking her and his children hostage and threatening to kill them if he did not deliver the ' right' result.

Kwadwo barked down the phone: ' Put their leader on.' ‘Listen you little *****,' he snarled. 'How dare you come to my house and threaten my wife and children. I am sitting here with the British Deputy High Commissioner and he knows what is happening. Now get out of my home before we have you thrown into jail!' The soldier said: ' Yes, sir; sorry, sir.' Kwadwo then told his wife not to worry and calmly returned to his work.

By 3am on the second night only two constituencies were still to declare. Even if every voter there went for Atta Mills, Kufuor could still not be beaten.

The opposition had won - an African country ... had shown that democratic change could be achieved peacefully. Kufuor's eight years as President saw economic growth of more than 70 per cent - the first prolonged period since independence when Ghana was not getting poorer. But Ghanaians chose to exercise their democratic right to change and earlier this month narrowly elected Atta Mills.

Ghana is the only country in Africa to achieve the democratic norm of power alternating peacefully between parties at successive uninterrupted elections.

As I look back on my involvement with Africa over 30 years, I remain most proud of helping Ghanaians to attain democracy. It is an example that sadly, the rest of the continent has so far done little to follow.

But Ghana remains there - a glimmer of hope, an example to others and a rebuke to cynics who claim democracy is not possible in Africa.
Mahmoud 9 years ago

Ghanaians wonder why Mahama and the NDC are talking about a second term since they have failed miserably and Ghanaians are suffering. In democratic and descent countries, second terms are reserved for competent and honest sta ...
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Ghanaians wonder why Mahama and the NDC are talking about a second term since they have failed miserably and Ghanaians are suffering. In democratic and descent countries, second terms are reserved for competent and honest states men and not people like corrupt and incompetent Mahama and his electoral thieves. The NDC party, as we all know, is followed by sycophants and stomach politicians, and I believe they have their eyes fixed on stealing the verdict of Ghanaians as usual because, they know for certain that they did not even deserve the first term.
YAO 9 years ago

Ghanaians have made their choice, JM is their choice and he will deliver. Under the NDC, the EDAIF fund, has supported ninety-one (91) farmers to cultivate 2,645.85 acres of mango plantation. The fund further extended suppor ...
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Ghanaians have made their choice, JM is their choice and he will deliver. Under the NDC, the EDAIF fund, has supported ninety-one (91) farmers to cultivate 2,645.85 acres of mango plantation. The fund further extended support to the tune of GHC 8.6 million to over 1000 farmers to cultivate about 4,000 acres of cassava with financing to establish three cassava processing factories to enhance the cassava value chain.
Tomtom 9 years ago

Do we need more of the same after 8 years of NDC? HELL NO!

Do we need more of the same after 8 years of NDC? HELL NO!
YAO 9 years ago

JM TOASO, NDC is the best Government for Ghana. Under The Ghana Free Zones Board, close to 70 large factories have been set up within 3 years since President John Manama became President. There is a large tile factory a few m ...
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JM TOASO, NDC is the best Government for Ghana. Under The Ghana Free Zones Board, close to 70 large factories have been set up within 3 years since President John Manama became President. There is a large tile factory a few months away from completion in Sharma which Will create employment for thousands of people. JM is Creating JOBS, Changing Lives and Transforming Ghana.
NANIAMA 9 years ago

HAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JUST SHAKING MY DAMN HEAD. UPSA AND EC , NEEDS CLEANSING OFF FAKES FAKES

HAHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JUST SHAKING MY DAMN HEAD. UPSA AND EC , NEEDS CLEANSING OFF FAKES FAKES
AKOS 9 years ago

EVEN TERKPER IS HAVING ON-LINE MPA FROM HAVARD, SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? OR ITS BEING ON-LINE MAKES IF FAKE HUH?????ON LINE IS THE NEW FASHION OF EDUCATION IN THIS OUR ERA,TAKE IT OR LEAVE

EVEN TERKPER IS HAVING ON-LINE MPA FROM HAVARD, SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? OR ITS BEING ON-LINE MAKES IF FAKE HUH?????ON LINE IS THE NEW FASHION OF EDUCATION IN THIS OUR ERA,TAKE IT OR LEAVE

Fine boy 9 years ago

We head promises more than this , but what didn't happen in 2012?? We are only praying that the Almighty should hold you to stick to your promises.

We head promises more than this , but what didn't happen in 2012?? We are only praying that the Almighty should hold you to stick to your promises.
Hanson 9 years ago

The world according to Charlotte Mahama

The world according to Charlotte Mahama
ADWEN 9 years ago

As a result of a single appearance, stupid NDC and Ghanaians have started using terminologies such as - "world class", "strategic", etc. Do these idiots know what processes go into achieving a world class performance.
This ...
read full comment

As a result of a single appearance, stupid NDC and Ghanaians have started using terminologies such as - "world class", "strategic", etc. Do these idiots know what processes go into achieving a world class performance.
This EC Chairperson is showing naivity and incompetence everyday. Does appointing professionals like lawyers and accountants replace the implementation of effective control systems? What controls and systems will alert potential inconsistencies and weaknesses? This dimwit, inexperienced girl thinks lawyers and accountants are alternatives to effective control mechanisms and you have equally naïve NDC idiots and Ghanaians hailing this simplistic yet naïve idea as "world class"? Ghanaians are jokers!!
YAO 9 years ago

Ghanaians are supporting NDC and Mahama v=because they trust him. 2,000 jobs have been created under the national board for small scale industries under John Mahama’s leadership

Ghanaians are supporting NDC and Mahama v=because they trust him. 2,000 jobs have been created under the national board for small scale industries under John Mahama’s leadership
ISMAIL ADDO 9 years ago

TODAY 29 AUGUST 2016 IS EXACTLY 100 DAYS TO THE 7 DECEMBER 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. ALSO TODAY NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO IS EXACTLY 72 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS OLD IN AGE BORN ON WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 1944 (KWAKU). ALSO TODAY JO ...
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TODAY 29 AUGUST 2016 IS EXACTLY 100 DAYS TO THE 7 DECEMBER 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. ALSO TODAY NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO IS EXACTLY 72 YEARS AND 5 MONTHS OLD IN AGE BORN ON WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 1944 (KWAKU). ALSO TODAY JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA IS EXACTLY 57 YEARS AND NINE MONTHS OLD, BORN ON SATURDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2016 (KWAME).

NOW ON 7 DECEMBER 2016, GHANAIANS HAVE REALLY TWO CHOICES BETWEEN THE VERY OLD MAN KWAKU AND THE MIDDLE-AGED MAN KWAME.

GHANA IS A PRESIDENTIAL REPUBLIC. SO THE ELECTED PRESIDENT MUST LEAD DECISIVELY FOR ANY PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE WESTMINISTER SYSTEM WHEREBY THE PRIME MINISTER CAN BE REMOVED ANY TIME BY HIS OWN PARTY THROUGH A VOTE.

NOW Akufo-Addo will be 72 years 8 months and 8 days old on 7 December 2012, the day of the national presidential elections in Ghana. Mahama would have celebrated his 58th birthday eight days earlier on that date. He will be 58 years and 8 days old on election day, 7 December 2016.

Let us be sensible and rational. Does this man, Akufo-Addo have the energy and good health to execute ALL these fancy projects? Acheampong was in his mid 40s when he started Operation Feed Yourself with all the excitement and energy.

Do we think honestly that the swing voters who decide presidential elections in Ghana would go for Akufo-Addo given the nature of the economy and problems facing Ghana as the country no longer depends on free donor monies and grants close to one billion United States dollars each year that Kufour and Atta-Mills enjoy over the 11-year period from 2001 to 2011 in the light of a population that has now gone over 28 million people in 2016 compared to about 18.5 million people when Kufour took power in January 2001?.

AKUFO-ADDO IS SIMPLY TOO OLD TO BE PRESIDENT OF A COUNTRY LIKE GHANA WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO GOVERN. LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION PROBLEM IN THE COUNTRY.

THE COUNTRY REQUIRES ENERGETIC LEADERSHIP AND DRIVE AND AKUFO-ADDO IS SIMPLY TOO OLD AND NOT HEALTHY FOR THE JOB.
BENSON BLADE 9 years ago

you are talking rubbish, nana is the right man for the job, lets give him a chance and you will see serious changes in ghana. Rawlings will even vote for him at the elections.

you are talking rubbish, nana is the right man for the job, lets give him a chance and you will see serious changes in ghana. Rawlings will even vote for him at the elections.
Anna 9 years ago

actions speak louder than words

actions speak louder than words
Nana Egyir Aggrey 9 years ago

What 'world' are you talking about?Many of us are uncivilised bush people,the civilised bush people in Ghana are only five percent.According to UNESCO,any country with thirty percent illiteracy cannot develop.The illiteracy i ...
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What 'world' are you talking about?Many of us are uncivilised bush people,the civilised bush people in Ghana are only five percent.According to UNESCO,any country with thirty percent illiteracy cannot develop.The illiteracy in Ghana is ninety five percent.Just look around you miss Osei Charlotte;nearly sixty years after independence,we do not have the knowledge and the common sense to conduct a simple election,we have uneducated people and students running the government.We have president who shamefully collects bribes.We are a laughing stock in the eyes of the civilised world.Ghana;-once the beacon of Africa has lost her glory,-from grace to grass as the saying goes-Nana Egyir Aggrey Snr citizen
Peyton 9 years ago

Please upgrade the EC website. The current one is too cheap and elementary.

Please upgrade the EC website. The current one is too cheap and elementary.
Manchester 9 years ago

You need to be more visible in the eyes of the Public.

You need to be more visible in the eyes of the Public.

THE CRUSADER 9 years ago

Do you hear from your own mouth?men,logo?,don't just the world for fools ,if you do we the outside world shall take the task on us as Ghanaians are cowards not bold enough as Christian soldiers since nobody want to die for th ...
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Do you hear from your own mouth?men,logo?,don't just the world for fools ,if you do we the outside world shall take the task on us as Ghanaians are cowards not bold enough as Christian soldiers since nobody want to die for the nation,the people and Christ.God forgives Ghana an replensdished it in Jesus name Halleluja
Bbb 9 years ago

EC must do the right thing to avoid blame.Ghana is for Ghanaians and not for incompetent and corrupt president Mahama.

EC must do the right thing to avoid blame.Ghana is for Ghanaians and not for incompetent and corrupt president Mahama.
True talk 9 years ago

I don't trust EC because it came out with only 56.000 registrant,period.

I don't trust EC because it came out with only 56.000 registrant,period.
Klefe 9 years ago

You better do that. It is more in your interest than the talking

You better do that. It is more in your interest than the talking
wandi 9 years ago

this woman should also be careful paaaaa.she has jam up the electrote

this woman should also be careful paaaaa.she has jam up the electrote
Ekow Samuel. 9 years ago

Thank you for what you'hv put in place of election in 7 December and it is very good and with peacful and hornest, WE thank you once again that make it as possible for the nation ghana,God bless you and oman ghana!.

Thank you for what you'hv put in place of election in 7 December and it is very good and with peacful and hornest, WE thank you once again that make it as possible for the nation ghana,God bless you and oman ghana!.
JAY 9 years ago

What nonsense,which election can be said to be world class,first class,second class or third class

What nonsense,which election can be said to be world class,first class,second class or third class
obi 9 years ago

i like this work bcos she is going to stand a God ,so justice bcos she knows very well that judgement day ll be there

i like this work bcos she is going to stand a God ,so justice bcos she knows very well that judgement day ll be there

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Charlotte Osei promises ‘world-class’ elections on December 7

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