THE Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr David Kanga, has expressed the hope that the new government would consider providing political parties with state funds to enable them to play their proper roles in the country’s multi-party system.
Such state support, he said, would strengthen political parties to function effectively both at the regional and national levels.
This, according to Mr Kanga, would enable the parties to contribute meaningfully to the electoral process in the future.
“If we are to ensure effective operation of our political parties as bedrock of our democratic practice, then we must resource them to enhance confidence in the integrity of the electoral process in the future,” Mr Kanga stated.
Speaking at an Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting at Koforidua, Mr Kanga said “the integrity of every electoral process and its outcome is strongly linked to the active watchdog role of all political parties, not just a few”
The meeting, sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and KAB Governance Consult, was attended by representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
It was to review the recently held general election and discuss the way forward.
Mr Kanga noted that the outset of last year’s electoral process, from registration of voters, replacement of ID cards and the conduct of the polls itself, were fraught with several irregularities, a process that nearly undermined the confidence of the people in the outcome of the elections.
He attributed various electoral malpractices such as multiple registration, the registration of minors and the snatching of ballot papers and materials as well as the busing of potential voters, to the inability of all political parties to have a level playing field.
“These electoral malpractices, in my view, created a heightened suspicion and mistrust by both the electorate and politicians, fomenting violence in some polling stations,” he said.
Mr Kanga contended that the irregularities that characterised the last elections could be effectively addressed if all political parties were to be properly resourced to function more effectively to monitor every stage of the electoral process.
“It is time every government in power dispelled the notion that resourcing political parties is a means of arming opponents to overthrow it from power,” he said.
“It is my hope that the NDC Government will not forget its struggle in the wilderness before assuming power,” he added.
Another topical issue that was discussed at length at the meeting was whether security personnel posted to various polling stations should be allowed to carry weapons to instil discipline in the electorate during the polls.
However, Mr Kanga dispelled such notion, saying security officers should not be armed in order to ensure sanity in the electoral process.
“If the community and the political parties should own the electoral process through effective collaboration among all stakeholders, even the use of batons by security personnel will be of no use, much less weapons,” he explained.
With regard to the background of election officers, he appealed to political parties and the electorate to furnish the EC with vital information about such personnel to the EC.
Such information, he pointed out, would enable the EC to contract people who would exhibit professional conduct and refrain from showing any political affiliation to ensure the credibility of the elections outcome.
On his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr Julius Debrah, bemoaned the inconsistencies that both party agents, electoral officers and security personnel exhibited during the last elections, a move which he said nearly disrupted the conduct of the polls in some constituencies across the country.
He, therefore, appealed to the EC to organise regular seminars for all stakeholders to ensure adherence to rules and regulations governing the conduct of elections, adding “this will curb any future electoral irregularities”.
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Alecs Agobo, on his part, stressed the need for political parties to cooperate with each other to facilitate the conduct of future elections in the country.
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