PINA strikes fear over politics of money

Accra, Dec. 20, GNA - Platform for Independent National Alternatives (PINA), a local body on governance issues on Thursday said a national crisis is starring at the country after 2008 if steps were not taken to forestall, among other things the politics of financial persuasion.

It said Ghana's current democratic system, "has descended into chaotic, corrupt, divisive, exclusive and the chronically under performing politics of financial persuasion, ethnic affiliation, religious calculations, misplaced personal attributes and many more. "In our view, the post 1992 plural democratic system is not working satisfactorily, a statement signed by Mr Sampson Yeboah, the Director of PINA and copied to the Ghana News Agency said.

It said such developments have dangerous implications for the stability of future multi-party democracy in the country than was generally acknowledged by key stakeholders.

The statement said PINA's aim was to elevate the presidential and parliamentary election in 2008 to a 'message centred' election where all candidates would have to present clear-cut four year programmes to their constituencies.

It said PINA would support and assist independent candidates to contest parliamentary elections to break the overwhelming majority status of the ruling party that has characterized parliament since 1992. "A trend that has systematically reduced our parliament into a rubber stamp appendage of the executive," it added. The statement said PINA would also canvass support for potential independent presidential candidates who have given serious thought to the challenges facing Ghana and were prepared to articulate their visions into programs that would irreversibly place the nation on the path to development.

It said PINA's recent publications in the dailies to support potential candidates in elections, attracted over 200 applicants interested to stand as Members of Parliament. The statement said the development on the electoral scene called for a nationally coordinated and sponsored support for independent candidates in the upcoming 2008 parliamentary and presidential elections.