Ghanaians In US To Observe Elections

The Accra Mail has received information from the US that a plane load of Ghanaian electoral observers will arrive from US cities this week to witness Election 2000 and report their independent findings to compatriots back in the US and the international community.

In a long distance call from Washington DC last Wednesday, the coordinator of the group said, "even though we do not have the vote, we have a stake in how the elections are conducted and the final outcome of the polls."

He disclosed that close to 200 of them would travel to Ghana at their own cost and visit all the 200 constituencies with video cameras to record proceedings. He said they had code-named their exercise "OPERATION EAGLE EYE".

He explained that the eagle is symbolic because it is on the coat of arms of the Republic of Ghana and when the eagle takes flight, its eyes see everything going on down below. "Ghanaians should not allow what happened in 1992 and 1996 to recur, when they sat down and allowed the electoral process to be tampered with, only to complain later that the verdict had been stolen. We have to keep an eagle eye on proceedings this time."

On the current impasse on photo or thumb print ID cards, he told The Accra Mail that they are in full support of the Electoral Commission's (EC) efforts to get all voters to use photo ID cards to vote. "We should not allow more than one identification because it will be open to abuse, and moreover, it will be open to abuse, and moreover, it will be cumbersome and take too much time."

He further explained that if only one method of identification is employed, the EC would not be distracted with the many challenges that would arise, should more than one method be employed.

The Operation Eagle Eye group's position is the same as the NPP's which is insisting that "NO PHOTO ID, NO VOTE!"

In another development, a number of Ghanaians in the US are planning to bring suits against Alhaji Inusah, formerly of the NPP, now of the NDC, for alleged fraud and embezzlement. This disclosure was made to The Accra Mail by the coordinator of Operation Eagle Eye on the same long distance call from Washington

In allegations, which are as yet unsubstantiated, he said Alhaji Inusah had taken sums of money from some Ghanaians living in the US, with the promise of developing properties for them back home in Ghana, which he has so far failed to do. Alhaji Inusah, himself accused the NPP of rigging the Ablekuma elections two years ago. He is already facing a law suit on that one.