Against Alleged Delay In Electoral Petition
Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland, Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo, today on behalf of the Ghanaian Government, received a petition from a group calling itself the Concerned Ghanaians Against Electoral Fraud (COGEF) based in the United Kingdom.

The group, in their petition called on the Government of Ghana to cease and desist from all alleged acts intimidation, threats and violence against citizens of Ghana.

COGEF also asked the government to desist from the unnecessary and unjustified alleged delay tactics in the case before the Supreme Court and also ensure that Ghana’s reputation in the international community as a peaceful and democratic country is not jeopardised through the interference with the independence of the judiciary.

The concerned Ghanaians also called on the International Community to support the work of the Supreme Court of Ghana by sending representatives and observers to observe the proceedings in the case in which Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate in the 2012 presidential elections has petitioned the supreme Court against what he described as the fraudulent declaration of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama as the President of Ghana.

They also urged the International Community to support the process that would guarantee justice and ultimately lasting peace and stability in the country. COGEF want the international community to support the steps taken by the opposition leaders because they believe the resort to legal redress by the opposition leaders has ensured peace in the country and ought to be encouraged. The group also petitioned the Supreme Court, asking that the Court act with speed and urgency in the case before it, saying “justice delayed, is justice denied”. The petitioners said the case of the opposition leaders has been subjected to allege numerous deliberate delays by the three respondents namely the Electoral Commission, President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) making the Judiciary look toothless.

This situation, the group said in their petition to the government, coupled with the current dire socio-economic conditions in Ghana where citizens are going without basic necessities like water, electricity and gas is causing unhealthy tension in the country.

This why concerned Ghanaians in the United Kingdom are increasingly becoming concerned about the direction of the government and the country, the group said. Receiving the petition, His Excellency Prof. Kwaku Danso-Boafo thanked the leaders of the group for conducting a peaceful demonstration.

He reminded them that he was not the only High Commissioner of the country in the UK but that they as a group should also see themselves as representing Ghana and be mindful how they conduct themselves so they don’t dent the reputation of the country.

His Excellency Prof. Danso-Boafo assured the group that their petition would be forwarded to the government.

Information Section, Ghana High Commission London