The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed dissatisfaction about the conduct of Tuesday's District Assembly Elections, describing it as a "deeply worrying situation", for the development of democracy. The party has also condemned the postponement of the elections in 31 districts.
"The NDC is deeply worried about the misconduct of this very important constitutional exercise, which should form the basis of good governance and demonstrate to the world that the high standards set by the party in the decentralisation process would be maintained”.
“Yesterday's District and Unit Elections were attended by widespread failure; probably witnessing the beginning of the erosion of the great democratic gains of the past decade." A statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Dr Nii Josiah-Aryeh said, if issues concerning the conduct of the District Assembly elections are not confronted, it could lead to the collapse of the mechanisms and structures for assuring good governance and "grave doubts of the ability of the present government to conduct free and fair elections at any level”.
“Throughout the world, failure of democracy at local government level signals the beginning of rot through the political system", the statement added. The party said the postponement of the elections from July to August should have given the Electoral Commission ample time to reorganise and convey election materials to the remaining districts. "The uncertainty surrounding the elections created room for fraud, impersonation and skull-duggery of all types, reducing the credibility of the exercise."
The party is also “saddened that the President John Agyekum Kufuor, who should be the first person to cast his vote, is away on a foreign trip" while the vice President was seen visiting polling stations in Accra instead of traveling to the North to vote. The statement advised the government to live up to its responsibility towards democracy "and take steps to re-assure Ghanaians and international observers that our democracy will not be impaired through inadvertence, inadequacy of resources and sheer incompetence."
