Let’s Hold Elections On 7th September

Read Comments Comments (6)

• Nyansasem 10 years ago

  This is one of the suggestions I have been calling for, even before the NPP petition. However, I would rather they have it in late October or early November. We will still have enough time to do whatever we have to do before ...
  read full comment

  This is one of the suggestions I have been calling for, even before the NPP petition. However, I would rather they have it in late October or early November. We will still have enough time to do whatever we have to do before the inauguration time.
  
  I also called for amendment in the constitution to give the Supreme Court a fix time to deliberate on any petition. That is important, else the timing will mean nothing when the judges want their per diem and allowances.
  
  Also, it seems that many talk about how our MPs and Ministers are failing to declare their assets, but they forget that, declaration of assets without accountability is an exercise in futility. We always ask them to do that but refuse to check when they leave office, so what is the importance of declaring the assets if we can't find out what they have accumulated when they leave. This can be done during this time. A week or two before the swearing in could be used to ask them to render their "accounts" or how much they have accrued. Any Minister or MP who refuse to put his assets down will automatically lose it when he is caught.
  
  And finally, the new administration could use enough time to prepare or ask for help from the old administration for any tips. This will allow the new administration to hit the ground running instead of complaining and blaming the old administration about - we did not get this or that.

  reply
• SULE 10 years ago

  Very good start to addressing some of the issues that have come up from this past election and the resultant petition.
  1. As you rightly said, there needs to be a clear timetable backed by law within which elections need to ...
  read full comment

  Very good start to addressing some of the issues that have come up from this past election and the resultant petition.
  1. As you rightly said, there needs to be a clear timetable backed by law within which elections need to be held, it could be 2 months prior or 3 months prior, but there needs to be a fixed timetable backed by law, within which, we have to have elections.
  2. We again need to fix a timetable within which all grievances especially with respect to our presidential elections are resolved before, the president is sworn in. These need again, to be backed by law. It's very inappropriate that, we would swear in a president, whilst he's being contested although there are provisions, which expressly states, that any action taken by the President with be without prejudice. However, from the foregone petition, it has been brought to the fore that, such a situation, does not engender a strict interpretation of the law, based on the assumption that, any action so taken would rock the boat and destabilize the status quo, so in the interest of peace, stability and national cohesion, in a case of such an election petition, justice should be deemed to be done to ensure peace, which makes a clear mockery of our democracy.
  3. Also, it came to the fore that, presiding officers in some instances were not up to the task. Hitherto, the GES had been making provisions for our teachers to partake in the electoral process, but this was fiercely rejected by Afari Gyan, on the grounds that, it was going to throw the educational calendar out of gear, which is a preposterous proposition when critically examined. There would need to be consensus about ensuring that well rounded, literate individuals are employed to man the process and if it means, the timetable of the conduct of our elections being skewed to take into account, the time when the teachers/GNAT would be on vacation, so they can partake and preside over the process, then it would need to be done, and backed by law.
  4. The issues raised during IPAC meetings which are agreed by the various parties should find a way of being binding and backed by law, subject to review at every election, to make the process efficient, transparent and relevant to the masses.
  5. The unbridled power of the EC would have to be looked at, vis-à-vis our constitutional provisions, to tamper the perceived autocratic tendencies of the EC, which were on display against the better judgment of all the various stakeholders.
  6. The EC needs to be accountable to the masses and provide value for money services. The BV machines from all indications were not up to the task, and going forward, the EC should be seen to be using funds earmarked for the process, judiciously and giving Ghanaians, value for money. Transparency would be key.
  There is a lot that needs to be fixed going forward and they need to be done in a spirit of mutual respect and candidness to make our democratic process truly representative and a true reflection of the will of the masses.

  reply
• MARCUS AMPADU 10 years ago

  The 4th Republic Constitution should be nullified. This should be done to include all the educated chiefs who were "drummed" out of the Constitution when the majority of our chiefs were uneducated. Now we have chiefs who are ...
  read full comment

  The 4th Republic Constitution should be nullified. This should be done to include all the educated chiefs who were "drummed" out of the Constitution when the majority of our chiefs were uneducated. Now we have chiefs who are more educated than most of our current politicians. More on this later.

  reply
• Ashkenazi 10 years ago

  I AM SURE YOU ARE NOT GABBY OCHERE DARKO RIGHT? SOMETIMES WAD AKUFO ADO = NANA AKUFFO ADDO

  I AM SURE YOU ARE NOT GABBY OCHERE DARKO RIGHT? SOMETIMES WAD AKUFO ADO = NANA AKUFFO ADDO

  reply
• John Carslake 10 years ago

  I think the Constitution has been worded to provide plenty of discretion for the timing of the elections so there would be no problem in introducing it.
  However, September is far too early. The USA has their presidential ele ...
  read full comment

  I think the Constitution has been worded to provide plenty of discretion for the timing of the elections so there would be no problem in introducing it.
  However, September is far too early. The USA has their presidential election in November.(That was to provide enough time for the results to be carried on horseback from the furthest parts of the Union.) Also, I would suggest that a day of the week is chosen rather than a date to avoid conflicts; such as, for example, the first Wednesday in November.

  reply
• Kofi Coomson 10 years ago

  I am not sure u are the character known as gabbby otchere darko. But if u are, people dont really trust you anymore (you lied that you were going to quit politics on December 31 2012, and you didnt). If you are not, Im sorry, ...
  read full comment

  I am not sure u are the character known as gabbby otchere darko. But if u are, people dont really trust you anymore (you lied that you were going to quit politics on December 31 2012, and you didnt). If you are not, Im sorry, gabby otcher darko has rubbished your article!

  reply