Clean Election Campaign launched

Accra, May 15, GNA - The Rt. Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, on Monday called on Ghanaians to adopt a more proactive attitude towards the forthcoming elections and avoid apathy that often characterises the political scene.

"We must bring into the political arena our love for peace, tolerance of different political opinions and resolve for honesty and transparency in the December elections."

Rt. Rev. Palmer-Buckle said this at the launch of the "Clean Election Campaign in Ghana, Year 2000 and Beyond" organised by Moral Re-Armament, Ghana, (MRA) in collaboration with the Forum of Religious Bodies (FORB) in Accra.

The campaign is to ensure clean, fair, honest and peaceful elections in Ghana through education and awareness creation on the rights and responsibilities of the people in the electoral process.

Rt. Rev. Palmer-Buckle stressed the need for Ghanaians to cherish their franchise and use it wisely. They should not allow themselves to be bribed or intimidated by any political personality or group into casting a vote other than the one dedicated by their own conscience and weighed preference.

"Ghanaians must be vigilant of utterances calculated on fomenting animosities of any kind, be they tribal, political, as well as social, (that could bring about) tension and violence.

"We must be ready to correct errors, report malpractice and condemn undemocratic acts and activities." The Bishop said the world at large is looking to see whether Ghana has come of age in her politics and democracy and is waiting to see how smoothly we shall transit from one government to the other under the Fourth Republican democratic dispensation.

The Rev. Dr. Samuel Aboagye-Mensah, General Secretary of the Christian Council, said over the years the FORB has been concerned that the outcome of election results would be clean and clear so that nobody would have cause to reject it.

This, he said, can be achieved if the Electoral Commission could be "a bit sensitive" in dealing with the electoral processes. He, therefore, called on the EC to consider extending the date for the revision of the voters' register to enable more people to register.

Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai, a Representative of Islamic Council for Humanitarian Services, stressed the need to sustain the peace that the country is currently enjoying for progress and development.

He appealed to the EC to soberly reflect on its activities to ensure that every citizen is pleased with it to achieve the objective of the December elections. "Political office aspirants should also weigh themselves well so that at the end of the elections they would be pleased with the result."