Parties launch code of conduct...for Election '08

Pastor Mensah Anamoa Otabil is the General Oversear of the International Central Gospel Church


By William Yaw Owusu

Friday July 25, 2008
A Political Parties’ Code of Conduct 2008, to be used as a guide in ensuring free, fair and credible elections in December, was launched in Accra yesterday.

Put together by the leadership of nine registered political parties, in collaboration with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), the code which is an improvement over those prepared for the 2000 and 2004 elections, seeks among other things, to ensure a level-playing field, tolerance and pluralism for all parties contesting the election.

At the same ceremony, a committee made up of representatives of the parties and civil society organisations tasked to see to the enforcement of the code was also inaugurated under the chairmanship of Rev Dr Fred Degbe, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana.

Launching the code Pastor Mensah Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church who gave the keynote address, advised political parties not to see elections as “a game of life and death.”

“They must allow the priorities of our nation and the welfare of its people animate their thoughts and actions so that in pursing their party’s interests, the national interest remains pre-eminent.”

Pastor Otabil said “a significant challenge we face in our national growth relates to the predictable sense of insecurity we face in the run up to all our elections since 1992. It has been 16 years and four elections, yet our national apprehension during elections remains”.

He said factors such as “some reactive measures” of the Electoral Commission, threatening language of politicians, sensationalism of the media as well as the ‘vampire’ attitude of the electorate towards politicians are responsible for the sense of unease that the country faces.

“Pride in our political associations has become a critical obstacle to forging a national unity, identity and promoting a clear national vision”.

“After leading the emancipation effort on our continent and embracing a new democratic dispensation, Ghana has a rare opportunity to model a new way of governance for Africa. To do that our political parties and other stakeholders must actively pursue best governance practices.”

Pastor Otabil further said political discourse should represent a contest of ideas, strive to live by ethics of fairness, equity and good judgement, and treat sensitive issues of national importance with sobriety and respect for the opinions of others.

“We should resist the temptation to exploit the high level of illiteracy in our nation for cheap political advantage.”

He said, “We are now 51 years as a nation and as we grow in age, it must show in our maturity. We must leave our children behaviours behind and increasingly act with more wisdom, decorum and restraint.”

Pastor Otabil said “to subordinate partisan interests does not imply the erasure of a political party’s unique value and ideology”.

He said to make the intentions of the code real, parties must first “face up to behaviours, norms and practice within our parties that must change and create a willingness in the minds of our party leadership and members to move beyond insults to the discussion of ideas”.

Nana Ohene Ntow, General Secretary of the NPP in his address pledged his party’s resolve and commitment to ensure that the December poll is peaceful and credible.

“As the party in power, it is the obligation of the NPP to ensure that the electoral process is not tampered with. We are totally committed to the protection and entrenchment of democracy in Ghana and we will do nothing to compromise the outcome of the election.”

Dr Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the NDC, urged all parties and stakeholders to play by the rules for “true democracy to thrive”.

“The NDC will play by the rules and engender fair competition for purposes of the stability of the country.”

Brig. Gen. Francis A. Agyemfra (rtd), a Senior Fellow of the IEA, said “the 2008 general election would be unique in terms of its competitiveness and the possibility of such intense competition degenerating into violence cannot be played down”.

He said the committee to enforce the code would be replicated in all the regions and called on all its provisions in order to safeguard the relative peace and tranquility of the country.

The parties that signed the code are the NPP, NDC, CPP, PNC and DFP. The others are the Egle Party, United Love Party, United Renaissance Party and the Ghana National Party.