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EC boss wants C.I 75 amended by Parliament
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- Category: Elections & Governance
- Created on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 00:00
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EC boss wants C.I 75 amended by Parliament
The chairman of the Electoral Commission has called on Parliament to amend the law regulating elections in the country to address what he says are challenges with the process.
The EC chairman Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, according to information available to Joy News, wants CI 75 to be amended after members of Parliament raised concerns with the biometric voting system at a closed door meeting with the EC boss in Parliament.
The introduction of the C.I. 75 was as a result of emerging challenges in the country’s electoral system, some of which include: registration and voting by unqualified persons; multiple registrations, and multiple voting.
However, one of the reforms introduced to address the issues was the introduction of the biometric registration system which came into force in March 2012 through the passage of the Public Elections (Regulations of Voters) Regulations, 2012 (C.I.72).
With the introduction of the biometric registration system, there was the need for the EC to make new regulations; hence the introduction of C.I.75 to replace the old C.I.15.
Section 30 (1) of the C.I.75 requires that a presiding officer, before issuing a ballot paper to a person to vote, it should be established by fingerprint or facial recognition that the person is the true bearer of the document to be used.
But the EC encountered some challenges during the 2012 election when the biometric machine failed to recognize some eligible voters, and with the no verification no vote, the situation got tensed at some polling centers.
Indeed the decision to go to court by the NPP was in part premised on the verification issues.
Members of Parliament therefore demanded from the EC boss steps being taken to address these challenges ahead of the 2016 elections.
Joy News’ parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey gathered that some legislators have suggested once a person is duly registered but is unrecognized by the machine, there should be a mechanism for people around to identify the person so he can vote - the current law frowns on this.
The EC boss said Parliament must take steps to amend the CI 75 to take on board the concerns by the house, Elton reported his sources as saying.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission is looking forward to organize an inter-party advisory committee meeting to consider the Supreme Court’s recommendation in the landmark election petition.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
No commentsGhanaians Have Lost Confidence In The EC – MP
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- Category: Elections & Governance
- Created on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 00:00
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Ghanaians Have Lost Confidence In The EC – MP
The Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, Major Derick Oduro (rtd) says Ghanaians have lost confidence in the Electoral Commission.
According to Major Derrick Oduro (rtd), there was a general loss of confidence in the Commission as a result of the circumstances that led to the election petition last year and the revelations of seeming flaws in the electoral system.
Major Oduro in that regard, asked the EC to devise strategies to restore the confidence Ghanaians use to have in the Commission.
But in a rebuttal, the General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah dismissed Major Oduro’s claims.
He described as absurd any form of claim that Ghanaians have lost confidence in the EC, saying “I think that it is totally absurd. It is uncalled for to just single out and say that confidence in the EC has waned.”
On the contrary, he said the Supreme Court has reaffirmed the confidence of Ghanaians in the EC.
He therefore suggested that political parties contribute ideas to reforming the electoral system rather than discrediting it.
“If you discredit the Electoral Commission to say that confidence has been lost then we have lost confidence because the EC declared you[Major Oduro] as a Member of Parliament when you are not deserving to be in Parliament,” Mr. Mornah said.
Meanwhile, Parliament has invited the Chairman of the E.C, Dr. Afari Gyan to explain the plans of the Commission for this year.
Source: Citifmonline.com
Ghana Has Lost Its Way – Abu Sakara
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- Category: Politics
- Created on Friday, 13 June 2014 00:00
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Ghana Has Lost Its Way – Abu Sakara
2012 Flagbearer of the Convention People’s Party Dr. Michael Abu Sakara says the current economic challenges the country is facing cannot be resolved until there is a change in the nation’s governance structure.
He is of the opinion that the most significant revelation from recent 22-point Senchi Consensus is that the nation has lost its way and needs to rediscover its vision for a shared national development path within a more inclusive system of governance.
It would be recalled the recent Senchi Economic Forum brought together representatives from across the various political divide, Civil Society Groups, academia among others to dialogue on how to deal with the challenges the nation is facing economically.
Dr. Sakara believes no amount of tweaking of the economy and its financial system can put the economy back on the right path without a political accommodation that works better than the “winner takes all” system of governance currently being practiced.
Dr. Sakara is convinced the neglect and corruption associated with the current system which is dominated by the National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic Party has deepened the impact of the economic quagmire Ghana finds itself in.
The former flagbearer in a statement issued in Accra backed calls from the Civic Forum Initiative, Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for a temporary freeze on the ongoing constitutional review process, to permit an immediate national debate on a more appropriate system of governance for Ghana.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
NPP Grabs ¢4.3bn From 5 Aspirants
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- Category: Politics
- Created on Saturday, 14 June 2014 00:00
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NPP Grabs ¢4.3bn From 5 Aspirants
THE OPPOSITIONNew Patriotic Party (NPP) seems to be making a huge fortune out of its flagbearership contest.
The NPP is almost pocketing GH¢4.3 billion just a week after opening nominations, as five aspiring presidential candidates have picked their nomination forms after paying GH¢10,000 (or ¢100 million). Additionally, they would pay GH¢75,000, upon the return of the forms – to make a total of GH¢85,000 (¢850 million) each. They have up to July 6, to file their nominations.
Each aspirant is therefore expected to make the full payment of GH¢85,000 before being allowed to run for the presidential primary slated for the latter part of this year.
So far, five aspirants, including twotime flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; former Information Minister, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Offinso North, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, have stuck out their necks to run for the position.
The rest are the sitting MP for Asuogyaman, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw and his colleague MP for Mampong, Francis Addai Nimoh, who have all picked forms to contest.
Each of them has therefore paid an ‘advance fee’ of GH¢10,000 for the forms – amounting to GH¢50,000 or ¢500 million.
They are left with GH¢75,000 each as filing fee – totalling GH¢375,000 – that is if all five would proceed to file, summing up to GH¢425,000 (the equivalent of ¢4.3billion).
More persons are however, expected to pick forms at the party headquarters to join the race. Chief among them is twice defeated flagbearer aspirant, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, popularly known as Alan Cash. Others are MP for Subin, Isaac Osei; celebrated heart surgeon, Professor Dr. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng; 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey and his colleague MP for Nyiaeso, Dr. Richard Anane.
It is not clear if all the remaining aspirants who had earlier shown signs of interest in the race would pick nomination forms and proceed to file them.
What is however, certain is that Alan Kyerematen would show his face on the big stage since he has declared his intention to lead the NPP ahead of the 2016 general elections, just like Joe Ghartey, who is attributing his entrance into the race to spirituality, like Asabee.
Should all 10 individuals decide to contest for the single slot, leadership of the party would be compelled to prune down the number to five with a special electoral college – in keeping with the NPP constitution.
The fate of the remaining five would then be decided by a national delegates’ congress scheduled to take place between October and December 6.
The National Council of the party is expected to meet on Thursday June 19, 2014, to take a decision on the date for the congress.
Even before then, suggestions have been made for the NPP to go to early congress to bring to an end the attacks and counterattacks among supporters of potential aspirants – some of which have been vicious and personal.
While some have asked for congress to be held between the month of August and October, others have also specifically proposed December 6, 2014.
BY Charles Takyi-Boadu
Source: Daily Guide
It won't work! - Hackman hacks proposal to appoint ministers outside parliament
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- Category: Politics
- Created on Wednesday, 11 June 2014 00:00
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It won't work! - Hackman hacks proposal to appoint ministers outside parliament
A former Minister, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang has hacked a proposal to allow the president to chose all his ministers outside parliament, branding it as "academic, utopian and unworkable".
In a spirited defense of the current practice of appointing 50% of ministers from parliament, Mr. Owusu Agyemang said MPs in the ruling government are the best people to implement their party's manifesto because, they are the ones who sell the party's ideas during elections.
{sidebar id=10 align=right}The view of the former MP for New Juabeng North follows recommendations by a nine-member Constitutional Review Commission to amend Article 78 (I) of the 1992 constitution.
The article states, "Ministers of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of Parliament except that the majority of Ministers of State shall be appointed from among members of Parliament."
Explaining the recommendation, a Research Fellow with Institute of Economic Affairs (lEA), Dr. Ransford Gyampoh argued the current practice is making MPs powerless in checking the executive.
"How will you be able to scrutinize and critique the executive when you are always wanting to catch the eye of the executive", he questioned.
With examples to back his claim, he pointed out how the late President John Atta Mills silenced critical MP like Alban Bagbin with ministerial appointments.
The Nadowli-Kaleo MP from the Upper West Region was appointed Minister for Works and Housing after criticizing the late President for surrounding himself with "sycophants, bootlickers and fair-weather friends" who were prepared to clean his shoes.
"What happened the moment they were given appointment? They kept quiet", Gyampoh noted.
On the other hand, a former New Patriotic Party MP, P.C Appiah Ofori took on his own government during his days in Parliament and got no appointment after his crusade against corruption.
These are evidences that Ghana needs an independent legislature to hold the executive to account and this, he said, will uphold the principle of checks and balances embedded in the 1992 constitution, Gyampoh stressed.
He concluded, the president is restrained in his appointments and is forced to abandon meritocracy in his considerations.
But Hackman Owusu-Agyemang who juggled Ministerial appointments with his role as MP for New Juabeng North, is gutting this idea as an "absolute illusion"
Hackman was appointed the Foreign Minister from January 2001 to April 2003. He then became the Minister for Interior for two years. From 2005 until 2007, he was the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing in the John Kufuor government.
He discounted claims that the proposal will make parliament stronger saying, as long as a government has majority of MPs coming from the ruling party, the executive will always have its way.
"Who is going to put President Jerry Rawlings or John Mahama in check?" he challenged.
Recounting a political reality, he said no MP can make a law because "the constitution bars parliament from making a bill".
In Parliament, the "emphasis is not on law-making...have you heard of any private members bill before". He said he tried three times to get a law to regulate financial services but although there was bi-partisan support for the proposal, it never saw the light of day.
According to the former MP with 12 years legislative experience, the reality in African parliaments is that people elect MPs not on the law he proposes to make but on his party's manifesto promises which are mainly infrastructural.
In an analogy, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang said going for so-called "geniuses" who are non-partisan is like going in for "foster-parents" to manage a family while the real parents are alive.
Parliament can never check the executive because all over the world, the executives very often have their way, he argued.
"This so-called checks and balances is illusionary. It will never happen. Hardly do you get any NDC MP kicking against president".
He recalled how parliament was postponed three times because the executive couldn't provide funds.
According to the ex-MP, parties can recruit so-called geniuses to stand for elections so they can be appointed ministers.
"If somebody is brilliant the party should go and get him to stand", otherwise, he wants Ghana to stick to the British "ideal" of appointing all ministers from parliament.
Source: Myjoyonline.com|Edwin Appiah|edwin.appiah@myjoyonline.com