D.P.P. SUES I.E.A.... And 4 Political Parties

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday, 24 July 2008
The Democratic People’s Party (DPP), has filed contempt proceedings at an Accra High Court against the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the leadership of the four political parties with representation in Parliament for "wilfully and deliberately defying and ignoring the pendency of a motion for interlocutory injunction’.

The substantive motion, filed on November 14, last year, is seeking a declaration that the Dutch Institute of Multi-Party Democracy (IMC) of the Netherlands and the IEA funding the NPP, NDC, CPP and PNC is illegal and unlawful and contravenes the constitution and political parties law 2000, Act 574.

In an ex-parte motion for contempt jointly filed yesterday by the DPP and its First National Chairman, Gyebi Mensah Tettey, the plaintiffs claimed "the defendants are interfering with a pending judicial proceeding thereby undermining the rule of law, showing disrespect to the administration of justice and bringing into disrepute the good standing integrity of the court".

The four parties were cited together with the IEA for contempt because the DPP claimed "they have actively participated in the illegality being perpetrated by the IEA and have contravened certain provisions of the Constitution."

The DPP in the substantive suit, also wants an order by the court to compel the defendants to respect the laws and Constitution of the country and to ensure a level-playing-field for all political parties in the December general election.

In the supporting affidavit, the DPP claimed that in January 2003, the IEA executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Dutch Institute of Multi-Party Democracy (IMD), Netherlands; the NPP, NDC, PNC and CPP under which the IMD started providing cash and making other contributions to the said registered parties which have representations in parliament.

"Starting from July 2003, the sum of 4,500 dollars was paid to each of the four registered political parties and by the end of July 2008 the total sum to be received by the parties would be 270,000 dollars."

The DPP further claimed that apart from the cash, the parties received computers, office furniture, equipment and air-conditioners and also benefited from capacity programmes and sponsored trips abroad provided by the IMD.

"Meanwhile, there were 12 parliamentary by-elections in several parts of the country and with the exception of the NPP and NDC, the CPP and PNC could not take part in most of the said exercise".

The DPP averred that the Dutch IMD-IEA funding for the four political parties is illegal and unlawful adding, "It violates section 24 and 25 of the Political Parties Law 2000 (Act 574)."

The applicants stated that the IMD-IEA programme discriminates against the remaining registered political parties, undermines transparency and the existence of the principle of level playing-field as well as the introduction of unfairness into the country’s electoral process and generates manipulation into the system.

"The DPP is seeking a declaration that the Dutch IMD-IEA attempt to restrict its definition of a registered political party to parties with membership in Parliament is at variance with the definition of political parties Law 2000 (Act 574) and the registration of political parties constitutes the only benchmark recognised under the law".

"The DPP wants an order to compel the four parties to refund to the Electoral Commission the total sums of monies they have unlawfully received from the scheme," the affidavit stated.