Partisan elections at local level advocated

Accra, Feb. 21, GNA - Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidoo, Deputy Majority Leader, on Wednesday called for a debate on the possibility of seeking a constitutional amendment that would make district assembly and unit committee elections partisan.

He said there was the need for an urgent debate on the issue to redeem such elections from the low patronage and disinterest accorded them.

The Deputy Majority Leader, who was contributing to a statement on the floor of Parliament, described the current state of local level elections, as a monumental waste.

He said what Ghanaians really wanted was for political parties to contest in these elections.

Mr George Kuntu Blankson, (NDC-Mfantseman-East) who made the statement on local level elections, with reference to the 2006 elections, touched on the poor publicity, low voter turn out and general disinterests given to such elections.

"Mr Speaker, though district assembly and unit committee elections are supposed to be non- partisan, yet partisan influence was veiled in many instances to the extent that most party executives were alleged to have instructed eligible voters to vote in a certain way," he added. Other members who contributed, urged the Electoral Commission to create new polling stations and relocate some to make voting more voter-friendly.

Earlier, issues on whether fathers should be granted paternity leave, the preference for monogamous marriage and the granting of reserved seats to increase women's participation in politics took centre stage during a debate on a statement on the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Mr Isaac Asiamah, (NPP-Atwima-Mponua) said there was the need for the men to support their spouses in child rearing by taking out paternity leave to have a feel of the responsibilities women take on in child care.

He said women also needed a lot of support to enhance their advancement and contributions to the nation. Mr Asiamah said women could receive one such support by political parties making a commitment to reserve safe seats for women to contest parliamentary seats.

Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader, also supported the call for reserve seats and said the country should be preparing towards such a move.

Mrs Esther Obeng-Dappah, (NPP-Abiriem), who made the statement on CEDAW, said polygamy was one practice that usually culminated in the abuse of women.

She said there was the need for an open debate on the polygamy in the country.

Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, said various international instruments from the UN were beginning to point to the fact that monogamous marriage was the preferred choice. Other contributors to the statement called for the education of the girl-child and the sensitization of society to adopt practices that protect women from violence. 21 Feb. 07