Reforms specifically aimed at more transparency. There's no reason for the EC to hide certain info/forms from the public.
Reforms specifically aimed at more transparency. There's no reason for the EC to hide certain info/forms from the public.
Mahmoud 9 years ago
Author: Kafui Ama
Date: 2009-07-23 01:44:06
Please be patient and read this to the end.
By Craig Murray, former Deputy British High Commisssioner to Ghana | Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009
... It was Novembe ... read full comment
Author: Kafui Ama
Date: 2009-07-23 01:44:06
Please be patient and read this to the end.
By Craig Murray, former Deputy British High Commisssioner to Ghana | Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009
... It was November 1999 and I'd been Deputy High Commissioner in Ghana for almost a year - the culmination of 15 years' Foreign Office service in Nigeria, Warsaw and the equatorial Africa department in London.
I'd always been passionate about Africa and had immersed myself in its minutiae. Nevertheless, my father, who had a timber yard in Ghana in the Sixties, offered a little extra counsel before I departed, aged 40. 'If you see any good-looking girl, aged about 30, light skinned, whatever you do, don't touch her - she could be your sister!'
Not that this was a big concern for me. My most pressing duty was the 1999 State Visit by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Enhanced Coverage Linking the Duke of Edinburgh, -Search using: Biographies Plus News, Most Recent 60 Days, accompanied by Robin Cook, the then Foreign Secretary. It was a three-day blur of activity, the teeming crowds displaying an uncomplicated and old-fashioned reverence.
A warning that the Duke was averse to looking at things without useful purpose proved absolutely right. As we stood looking at the strip of brass laid in a churchyard that marked the line of the Greenwich Meridian, he said to me: 'A line in the ground, eh? Very nice.'
Ghana epitomises much of the best of Africa, but also throws into relief the tragedy of the continent. It has maintained its higher education and has fewer extremes of wealth than elsewhere. But at independence in 1957, Ghana was richer than Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia or Singapore. Today, those countries are at least ten times as wealthy.
Corruption, cronyism, economic mismanagement, irresponsible lending by the West and the dumping of cheap food all did for Ghana. When I arrived with my wife Fiona and children Jamie and Emily, Ghana had been ruled for 20 years by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings.
The son of a Stirlingshire pharmacist and a local woman, he seized power in a coup in 1979, but claimed to have won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, despite allegations of vote-rigging.
In his early years, Rawlings unleashed a political terror on Ghana. His campaign against the middle classes resembled Mao's Cultural Revolution. People were persecuted for having savings or two indoor lavatories. Market women were sometimes killed for 'profiteering'.
The Queen's visit delighted Rawlings, who craved international respectability. I, too, was determined to make the most of the trip, by helping ensure Rawlings gave up power by the start of 2001, as the constitution required because he had served two four-year terms.
The Queen's speech to the parliament in the capital, Accra, was to be the focus of the visit and I had contributed to its drafting. It contained the usual guff about a future based upon partnership, but there was a sting in the tail. 'Next, year, Mr President,' the Queen intoned, 'you will step down after two terms in office in accordance with your constitution.' The opposition benches went wild and the Queen stopped, looking in bewilderment at the hullabaloo.
Afterwards, Robin Cook was furious. 'It's a disaster. Who the hell drafted that?'
'Er, I did, Secretary of State,' I said. 'I might have guessed! Who the hell approved it?' 'You did.' Cook's Private Secretary had to dig out the draft he had signed. After the State banquet, I retired to a hotel bar with the Royal Household. The senior staff had withdrawn to allow the butlers, footmen and hairdressers to let off steam.
The party appeared, to a man, to be gay. Not just gay, but outrageously camp. We'd taken the hotel for the Royal party, but allowed the British Airways crew to stay. Now three cabin stewards, two Royal footmen and a Royal hairdresser were grouped around the piano singing hits from Cabaret. I was seated on a sofa and across from me in an armchair was a member of the Household who seemed out of place. The valet looked to be in his 60s, a grizzled NCO with tufts of hair either side of a bald pate, a boxer's nose and tattoos on his arms.
He was smoking roll-ups. I turned to the old warrior and said: 'Don't you find all this a bit strange sometimes?' He lent forward, put his hand on my bare knee below the kilt I wore on ceremonial occasions and said: 'Listen, ducks. I was in the Navy for 30 years.' I think he was joking, but some things are too weird even for me. The lower reaches of the Royal Household are one of them.
One enjoyable aspect of our time in Ghana was the constant stream of visitors. Among them was Peter Hain, the Minister for Africa. Hain, a good footballer, agreed to play in a charity match between children from a community football scheme and the High Commission.
Unfortunately, the ground was hard and the opposition turned out to be super-fit professionals. After a heavy tackle, I went down. Result: a dislocated shoulder. I couldn't move my arm for eight weeks. Other visitors included Clare Short, at the time Secretary of State for International Development.
She was in Ghana to try to persuade it to join a debt relief scheme. At a dinner for her, a Minister had made a speech about how much Ghana had learnt from the British Empire. Short stood up and expostulated: 'The British Empire! Don't tell me about the British Empire. I know about British colonialism. My father was Irish and we know about British colonialism. I'll tell you what the British did to your country. They exploited it, that's what they did. They exploited it.' After a few moments of stunned silence, the dinner continued.
On another occasion we were joined by Bobby Charlton, who came to Ghana seeking support for England's bid to host the 2006 World Cup. He was still an astounding player at 60 and it was good of him to get on the pitch for a local community football programme. Nevertheless, I found Charlton disappointing. He was self-centred and ratty - one of those heroes you wish you hadn't met.
Conversely, Roger Moore, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, was charming and suave, just as you would expect, with a fund of brilliant stories beginning with lines such as: 'One day, Frank, Dean, Tony and I decided to play a trick on Marilyn ... ' He was also well briefed about children's issues in Ghana and was prepared not just to do PR, but to get his hands dirty helping in refugee camps without a camera in sight.
I was less taken with Jamie Theakston.
The BBC were filming a wildlife programme in Ghana, looking at the endangered green turtle population near Ada. A group of young volunteers had accompanied the BBC team to help the newly-born turtles to reach the ocean. But one girl, in her mid-20s, had streams of mascara running down her cheeks. She claimed Theakston had just broken up with her - yet here he was, surrounded by young women, enjoying the adulation.
I had bigger concerns, however. Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections were due in December 2000 and there were signs that its 11 million voters might be preparing for a change of government. Enthusiasm for politics was everywhere. Even in the meanest village, people gathered under the banyan tree listening to FM stations on a battered transistor and arguing about the coming change.
In the West, tired of our politicians' deceit, we no longer much value democracy. It is wonderful to see a people exercising for the first time their power over those who would govern them. Our job was to see the elections were free and fair, with Britain funding a £10 million programme for photo-ID cards to reduce electoral fraud. The exercise eradicated one million fake names.
Another practical new weapon was indelible ink: when somebody voted, their thumb was painted to stop them casting more than one vote. India was the only source of a truly permanent ink that could not be washed or rubbed off. I had also persuaded the Foreign Office to provide experts from the Electoral Reform Society. Further valuable additions were two British MPs, Roger Gale and Nigel Jones.
Rawlings's party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), put up the vice President, John Atta Mills, as its presidential candidate. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) fielded John Kufuor. There is a tribal element in Ghanaian politics: the Ewe people vote overwhelmingly NDC; the Ashanti overwhelmingly NPP.
It was clear the governing party would not abandon power easily. Alarmed that it would lose, it had the high court declare the ID cards illegal because they disenfranchised legitimate voters. But the ruling was to no avail - the people took over. Polling station officers decided they were going to use ID cards anyway.
When first- round votes on December 7 were tallied; Kufuor had 48.4 per cent against Atta Mills's 44.8 per cent. The opposition was heading for a small majority but, with no candidate exceeding 50 per cent, a run- off was required. Ghana's 30 or so FM stations were vital in bringing democracy, so it was no surprise that the NDC moved against them.
On the evening before the poll, I took Roger Gale and Nigel Jones to visit Joy FM, possibly Ghana's most influential station. We were sitting in the office when an armed posse of Rawlings's security men arrived, saying they were closing the station on the President's instructions.
‘Good evening,' I said. ‘I am Craig Murray, Deputy British High Commissioner, and these gentlemen are Mr Roger Gale MP and Mr Nigel Jones MP, members of the British Parliament.' Gale added: ' Obviously there has been some mistake.
I thought I heard you say that you were closing down the station, but we are here to visit our fellow democracy, Ghana, and democracies don't close down radio stations.' The goons left. Joy FM never was closed. However, the NDC started to think I was a part of their problem and they assigned a secret service team to follow me around.
As the second round on December 28 approached, we discovered a problem: not enough Indian ink. We had paid for more, but it had to be specially made and would not be ready until December 24. This was cutting it tight and action was needed. Chartering a private plane to set off from India on Christmas Eve was easier said than done. Whitehall was in festive mode and unlikely to sanction spending quickly, so I used the Embassy's budget to pay for it.
Ghana's government did not want the Indian ink to get in and I was concerned it would be delayed by customs officials. So on Christmas Day 2000, instead of eating turkey, I stood baking on the airport tarmac. When our plane taxied in, we unloaded the boxes of little ink bottles on to two trucks. I escorted these out of the VIP gateway, helped by a substantial tip to the guards.
The truck drivers then delivered the ink to regional centres for distribution to constituencies. This was a game being played for high stakes, with real danger of civil war.
Hotheads in the ruling party might claim electoral fraud and mount a military takeover. The Ashanti could also react violently to losing. Every embassy was updating evacuation plans. Around 1am, the results started to come in. There was a more or less consistent swing to the opposition candidate, John Kufuor. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife.
The coolest man in Ghana that night was the wry, chain-smoking Electoral Commissioner, Kwadwo Afari- Gyan, who received constant threatening phone calls instructing him to fix the result. Each time, the Electoral Commissioner replied: ' The result will be what the result will be. I am just making sure it is fairly counted.' Then, taking his umpteenth call, he stiffened. He summoned me to listen: it was his wife. Soldiers had come to their bungalow, taking her and his children hostage and threatening to kill them if he did not deliver the ' right' result.
Kwadwo barked down the phone: ' Put their leader on.' ‘Listen you little *****,' he snarled. 'How dare you come to my house and threaten my wife and children. I am sitting here with the British Deputy High Commissioner and he knows what is happening. Now get out of my home before we have you thrown into jail!' The soldier said: ' Yes, sir; sorry, sir.' Kwadwo then told his wife not to worry and calmly returned to his work.
By 3am on the second night only two constituencies were still to declare. Even if every voter there went for Atta Mills, Kufuor could still not be beaten.
The opposition had won - an African country ... had shown that democratic change could be achieved peacefully. Kufuor's eight years as President saw economic growth of more than 70 per cent - the first prolonged period since independence when Ghana was not getting poorer. But Ghanaians chose to exercise their democratic right to change and earlier this month narrowly elected Atta Mills.
Ghana is the only country in Africa to achieve the democratic norm of power alternating peacefully between parties at successive uninterrupted elections.
As I look back on my involvement with Africa over 30 years, I remain most proud of helping Ghanaians to attain democracy. It is an example that sadly, the rest of the continent has so far done little to follow.
But Ghana remains there - a glimmer of hope, an example to others and a rebuke to cynics who claim democracy is not possible in Africa.
Kick 9 years ago
Where will you be after the next election. Just think about it before you go airing your wish for trouble. Good luck. But becareful of what you wish for. You might just get it. Again you should be assured of favorable result ... read full comment
Where will you be after the next election. Just think about it before you go airing your wish for trouble. Good luck. But becareful of what you wish for. You might just get it. Again you should be assured of favorable result before you emback on this trip. Don't start no S..T and there will be no s..t
Ken Ntiamoa 9 years ago
Where in the article does the author wish for trouble. The guy is writing about how to avoid trouble and you are interpreting as "wishing for trouble." Can't you read or you don't understand what you read?
Ken
Where in the article does the author wish for trouble. The guy is writing about how to avoid trouble and you are interpreting as "wishing for trouble." Can't you read or you don't understand what you read?
Ken
Kick 9 years ago
Did I not write the word TROUBLE?
Did I not write the word TROUBLE?
efi 9 years ago
This npp stooge Dr agambilla thinks he can scared as.we are also praying for war and agambilla cannot even set foot in his own hometown.
This npp stooge Dr agambilla thinks he can scared as.we are also praying for war and agambilla cannot even set foot in his own hometown.
Paul 9 years ago
Prof. Agambilla, whilst one does not doubt the possibility of a losing party trying to cause civil chaos, it seems to me you have concluded that the EC officials and especially returning officers are not to be trusted!!!
S ... read full comment
Prof. Agambilla, whilst one does not doubt the possibility of a losing party trying to cause civil chaos, it seems to me you have concluded that the EC officials and especially returning officers are not to be trusted!!!
Such presumption is dangerous and only sows seeds of doubt in our electoral process even beofre it has done its job. don't you think your approach is unfair, wicked and dangerous for our democracy?
The EC has been transparent in telling Ghanaians the changes it is making following the Supreme Court recommendations and conditions of 2013. Not only that, they have embarked upon training schemes for a whole lot of people and asked the political parties to also carry out their own internal briefings, proper recruitment and training of their polling agents etc. Civil Society and the media have not been left out or in the dark about these developments and activities aimed at improving our electoral processes and thereby assuring the public of the true meaning of their suffrage.
Now you tell us, what is the procedure at the polling station and when the votes have been collected? You are saying the "collation process is still murky" and somehow 'shrouded in secrecy' right? You also suggest that somehow the ROs have such power over the collation and the results that "even if CSOs, polling agents etc. are there for the count whatever comes out later may not necessarily be the same"!!!
With all due respect, Prof, my estimation of you as a respected senior man is now in question. You mean to say that even when the COUNTING of votes has been done in the presence of ALL parties, CSOs and other stakeholders, somehow the returning officer and his/her EC officials 'may' manipulate the figures before the EC's announcement of those results which clearly would have been on the pink sheets which now we all except would have been SIGNED properly?
You complain that the EC "refuses access the past pink sheets for academic analysis" and so they should!!! Having been academia for so long, are you telling readers here that you are not aware of, or do not know the ethical procedures involved even in accessing and using data of this kind? As someone who is an expert on research compliance, I can tell you that stringent procedures exist before my office would allow anyone to collect any stored data for any purposes, however academic, genuine or what have you.
Even collecting data for purposes of national reporting e.g. to WHO require due process and some clear guarantees. If you have had difficulty accessing such data, it is NOT because the EC has anything to hide, but because they have simply refused your request (which is their prerogative). Indeed my office has done similarly in cases where the committee did not deem that those requesting such data had met the criteria!!!
You suggest that pink sheet information be "pinned on notice boards" at polling stations and or scanned copies be made publicly available. And somehow for you Professor, this is the only way you will be assured that the results are true and transparent etc. and that you will not need to resort to ARMS to seek redress "the next election"!!!
How very preposterous and most disappointing. You diminish yourself by such weak and uninformed arguments. The pink sheets for your information, are not for public consumption, but rather a record, to be kept by the EC as part of its electoral and historical records of the elections and what happened at each polling station.
All that we need to know from the polling station is: How many candidates stood, how many ballots were cast, how many ballots were spoiled, how many votes were obtained by each candidate and on the basis of that, which candidate had the most votes and hence was duly elected to represent the constituency.
In the case of presidential elections, similarly we want to know for each polling station, the number of candidates, ballots cast etc. and votes obtained and who won.
Remember, whilst who won parliamentary elections can be determined at the constituency level, it cannot be determined at the polling station which only forms part of many others which together feed into the constituency.
The process is complex enough and huge with so many people involved at all levels to get the vote, collate, check ND CROSS CHECK AND DECLARE, ALL WITHIN A MATTER OF HOURS TO DAYS.
Why don't we all help the electoral commission by asking them the right questions, sending them our suggestions and following these up instead of this veiled partisan nonsense that you reduce yourself to?
I would rather that we all stuck to what has happened so far where the EC asked for comments and inputs, the publis responded; the SC also made recommendations and these are being incorporated into changes at the EC.
By the way, what is wrong with a 35 year old being EC Chairman if they are well qualified, competent, properly prepared, totally professional and good leaders?
BETTER GHANA 9 years ago
What Agambila said is the truth. He can see beyond what you think and don't support the wrong doings of the EC
What Agambila said is the truth. He can see beyond what you think and don't support the wrong doings of the EC
Commonsense 9 years ago
There will be no more Ghana after 2017. There will be NDC Volta, 3 Northern, Central and Accra
There will be no more Ghana after 2017. There will be NDC Volta, 3 Northern, Central and Accra
KOFI 9 years ago
you seeeeeeeeee
you seeeeeeeeee
mabia 9 years ago
Dr very good theoretical work. We would not go through all this if your party is truly popular
If in a population of 100 you can only muster 45 then all you have stated comes to play.
Dr let your party hit the ground and g ... read full comment
Dr very good theoretical work. We would not go through all this if your party is truly popular
If in a population of 100 you can only muster 45 then all you have stated comes to play.
Dr let your party hit the ground and get 85 out of every 100. The voters will protect the ballot.
Please concentrate on people . It is thry who cheat
Kofi 9 years ago
All these bullshit existed when NPP won.Trouble is,when you win,it is fair,when you lose it is foul.I do not give a cuss about NPP/NDC.Stop moaning.You are all crooks.
All these bullshit existed when NPP won.Trouble is,when you win,it is fair,when you lose it is foul.I do not give a cuss about NPP/NDC.Stop moaning.You are all crooks.
BOY KOFI 9 years ago
You have no confidence in the EC,so how are you going to win?Thank you.
You have no confidence in the EC,so how are you going to win?Thank you.
Concerned Ghanaian 9 years ago
Is this Frafara idiot a true Dr? I wonder if he really understand the foolish and useless inciting rubbish that he has posted here.What exactly does this carcas eating idiot mean? I want to assure him that,all of them who wis ... read full comment
Is this Frafara idiot a true Dr? I wonder if he really understand the foolish and useless inciting rubbish that he has posted here.What exactly does this carcas eating idiot mean? I want to assure him that,all of them who wished for war in this country will not leave to see it. Agambila, you are out of your brains and need a psychaitrist. A foolish son of a latrine carrier.We are waiting for you. Bring it on.Dirty smelling man.
Paul 9 years ago
"Frafra idiot"?!! Are you out of your mind? what ha this to do with tribe? Can't you make your point without stooping so low?
"Frafra idiot"?!! Are you out of your mind? what ha this to do with tribe? Can't you make your point without stooping so low?
KOKOLIKOKO 9 years ago
Agambila, you declare: "Unless essential changes are made to our electoral procedures, Ghana’s next election in 2016 may well be our last democratic election."
What's the trouble with you, NPP people, that you have to em ... read full comment
Agambila, you declare: "Unless essential changes are made to our electoral procedures, Ghana’s next election in 2016 may well be our last democratic election."
What's the trouble with you, NPP people, that you have to employ threats of violence or destruction to either make your case or have things your way? If things are not done your way, and go your way, then, they must necessarily and logically be wrong, foul, unfair, unjust, cheating -- and you must, thus, employ insults and threats of mayhem as instruments of redress!
From the all-die-be-die, We-the-Akans to kill-all-Ewes-and-Gas to Ghana-will-turn-Afghanistan and to now the-2016-election-may-be-the-last-democratic-election! Why? Why? And why?
Are you people aware, and do take into your political account, that not only is Ghana a multi-ethnic society -- but also it's a highly volatile and immensely polarised polity! Which is to say that it needs to be treated and handled with great care, great concern and great responsibility!!!
Given the height of irresponsibility that you people have demonstrated in Ghana politics so far -- from all-die-be-die to kill-all-Ewes-and-Gas to the others -- do you think it's safe and reasonable to repose the care and governance of the nation in your hands?
If you take to violence to destroy the democratic electoral system in the country, do you, honestly, believe it'll affect the others only and not you too!
You people behave like spoilt children whose place belongs in their mothers' bossom -- not the governance of a potentially combustible polity like Ghana!!!
NOBODY 9 years ago
Poor NPP. Whemn it loses an election, it's quick to cry foul or pinksheet. It goes to court, and comes out of there blaming the courts too for it's defeat. NPP, Ghana is not Burger King. You can't have it your way. Afari-Gyan ... read full comment
Poor NPP. Whemn it loses an election, it's quick to cry foul or pinksheet. It goes to court, and comes out of there blaming the courts too for it's defeat. NPP, Ghana is not Burger King. You can't have it your way. Afari-Gyan and the EC were not a problem while the NPP ruled Ghana for eight years. When they lost the election, it suddenly became a cry that the system is either corrupt or not working. Ghana's last election, you say? Well go ahead with your Akufo-Addo ALL-DIE-BE-DIE intimation tactic, for it will not help you any.
Kick 9 years ago
This so called Ph.D. holder has drunk the NPP cool-aid. Once you touch that stuff, all kinds of stuff comes out. You surely lose the respect of your colleagues, all and sundry.
This so called Ph.D. holder has drunk the NPP cool-aid. Once you touch that stuff, all kinds of stuff comes out. You surely lose the respect of your colleagues, all and sundry.
Reforms specifically aimed at more transparency. There's no reason for the EC to hide certain info/forms from the public.
Author: Kafui Ama
Date: 2009-07-23 01:44:06
Please be patient and read this to the end.
By Craig Murray, former Deputy British High Commisssioner to Ghana | Posted: Tuesday, January 20, 2009
... It was Novembe ...
read full comment
Where will you be after the next election. Just think about it before you go airing your wish for trouble. Good luck. But becareful of what you wish for. You might just get it. Again you should be assured of favorable result ...
read full comment
Where in the article does the author wish for trouble. The guy is writing about how to avoid trouble and you are interpreting as "wishing for trouble." Can't you read or you don't understand what you read?
Ken
Did I not write the word TROUBLE?
This npp stooge Dr agambilla thinks he can scared as.we are also praying for war and agambilla cannot even set foot in his own hometown.
Prof. Agambilla, whilst one does not doubt the possibility of a losing party trying to cause civil chaos, it seems to me you have concluded that the EC officials and especially returning officers are not to be trusted!!!
S ...
read full comment
What Agambila said is the truth. He can see beyond what you think and don't support the wrong doings of the EC
There will be no more Ghana after 2017. There will be NDC Volta, 3 Northern, Central and Accra
you seeeeeeeeee
Dr very good theoretical work. We would not go through all this if your party is truly popular
If in a population of 100 you can only muster 45 then all you have stated comes to play.
Dr let your party hit the ground and g ...
read full comment
All these bullshit existed when NPP won.Trouble is,when you win,it is fair,when you lose it is foul.I do not give a cuss about NPP/NDC.Stop moaning.You are all crooks.
You have no confidence in the EC,so how are you going to win?Thank you.
Is this Frafara idiot a true Dr? I wonder if he really understand the foolish and useless inciting rubbish that he has posted here.What exactly does this carcas eating idiot mean? I want to assure him that,all of them who wis ...
read full comment
"Frafra idiot"?!! Are you out of your mind? what ha this to do with tribe? Can't you make your point without stooping so low?
Agambila, you declare: "Unless essential changes are made to our electoral procedures, Ghana’s next election in 2016 may well be our last democratic election."
What's the trouble with you, NPP people, that you have to em ...
read full comment
Poor NPP. Whemn it loses an election, it's quick to cry foul or pinksheet. It goes to court, and comes out of there blaming the courts too for it's defeat. NPP, Ghana is not Burger King. You can't have it your way. Afari-Gyan ...
read full comment
This so called Ph.D. holder has drunk the NPP cool-aid. Once you touch that stuff, all kinds of stuff comes out. You surely lose the respect of your colleagues, all and sundry.
Fruit