Ghana Post Elections

The Government has issued detailed responses to 22 questions that were asked by the Chamber for Local Governance (ChLoG) concerning the upcoming December 17, 2019 referendum. Below is a copy of the responses issued by the government through its Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama. Introduction On 17th December 2019, Ghanaians will go to the polls to vote on a referendum question that seeks from citizens whether or not multi-partisan election system must be introduced at the local government level in Ghana. Since the Ministry commenced this process, a number of views have been expressed by well-meaning Ghanaians, one of such groups is The Chamber for Local Governance (ChLoG). The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) has seen a press release issued by The Chamber for Local Governance (ChLoG) requesting Government to answer twenty-two questions on the upcoming referendum which are begging for answers. The Ministry appr...

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has given a firm indication that government will soon build ten fish landing sites along the coastal areas of Ghana for the benefit of fishing communities. Dr. Bawumia made the announcement on Saturday when he joined the people of Elmina to celebrate the 2019 Edina Bakatue festival to mark the beginning of a fishing season. Celebrated under the theme, “Buy made in Ghana goods; use goods made in Ghana and promote jobs for the youth”, Dr. Bawumia lauded the paramount chief of Elmina, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, and the chiefs and people of Elmina, saying that the theme for this year’s celebration was timely because it is in line with President Akufo-Addo’s “vision of building a Ghana Beyond Aid, where we harness internal resources for the development of our country.” Addressing the durbar, Vice President Bawumia said the government’s inclusive development agenda is designed to improve the quality of life of all Ghanaians regardless of geographica...

A group calling itself the Concerned Voters Movement (CVM) is calling for the amendment of Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution to limit the tenure of Members of Parliament to only three terms. “We are convinced 12 years in Parliament is more than enough to impart knowledge and experience of Parliamentary proceedings to the new entrants, who will succeed the old ones. We believe this will also help to create the platform for other persons to represent their people in Parliament,” CVM said in a statement signed by its Founder and President, Razak Kojo Opoku. According to CVM, the three terms policy for MPs would help to reduce the power struggle within political parties during primaries. “It will compel Members of Parliament to make wise decisions in the interest of the Public. This approach would also help to eliminate ‘Mugabes’ from Parliament.” CVM insisted that some persons have been in Parliament for more than 12 years yet they have been unable to lobby for meaning...

Former President John Dramani Mahama will lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) into the 2020 elections justifying the prediction of pundits that he remains by a petering distance, the party’s most marketed candidate. He runs away with 95.24% of the vote, leaving six others to squabble over less than 5% in a poll that involved about 330,000 NDC voters. His obscure and distant challenger Prof. Joshua Alabi managed only 3,399 representing 1.516% of votes cast while the man said to have mentored Mahama in politics, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin placed third with 2,313 (1.032%). NDC return, Goosie Tanoh, finally got a shot at his most cherished political ambition but polled 2,038 votes (0.909%) to place fourth. Ekwow Spio-Gabrah placed fifth with 1457 votes (0.650%), Sylvester Mensah managed 932 votes (0.415%) with Nurudeen Iddrisu securing 513 votes (0.231) to place sixth and seventh, respectively. To understand the size of his victory, John Mahama won by a larger perc...

The Electoral Commission (EC) wants 12 more months to implement the Representation of the People Amendment Act (ROPAA). The Act seeks to provide an opportunity for Ghanaians living abroad to participate in general elections, was passed by Parliament 12 years ago. But the EC has been unable to see to its implementation. The Commission cites the unavailability of the required resources as its reason for failing to adhere to the law. Not even a suit and an order by the Accra High Court in 2017 for the Commission to begin the process of implementation has caused it to act. In that case, the Presiding judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah, chided the EC for breaching the rights of Ghanaians living abroad by failing to give them an opportunity to vote. He thus condemned the EC’s failure to address challenges preventing Ghanaians living abroad from voting, and specifically asked them to ensure that arrangements are made for such people to vote in the 2020 elections. If the processes...