US embassy cable - 04ACCRA1930

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ACCRA 001930 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, GH 
SUBJECT: GHANA'S NATIONAL REFORM PARTY: PROMOTING REFORM 
BUT TOO SMALL TO BE RELEVANT 
 
REF: 00ACCRA7799 
 
Classified By: Charge Jerry Lanier for reasons 1.5 d and e. 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  On September 21, Charge and poloffs met 
with leaders of the National Reform Party (NRP).  A minor 
party with no presidential candidate in the December 
elections, the NRP is contesting in ten parliamentary seats 
and hopes its anti-corruption/good grassroots governance 
message will influence the political debate.  The NRP 
predicts the eventual decline and break-up of whichever major 
party loses the election.  They hope the USG can help 
convince Ghanaian President Kufuor not to exaggerate security 
concerns in the election and can bolster the efforts of the 
Election Commission.  End summary. 
 
2.  (C)  On September 21, Charge and poloffs hosted a lunch 
for National Reform Party (NRP) leader Augustus "Goosie" 
Tanoh and several other NRP officials to discuss the December 
election and the NRP's political views.  Charge noted that we 
were meeting with all the political parties, as well as the 
Election Commission and others, to reinforce our hope for a 
free and fair election in Ghana and to explore what useful 
role the USG might play in the process. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
3.  (SBU)  The NRP was founded in 2000 by a break-away group 
from National Democratic Congress (NDC).  The NRP got only 
about one percent of the vote in the 2000 national elections 
and won no seats in parliament.  However, observers believe 
its participation in the election cost the NDC fifteen 
parliamentary seats, ultimately benefiting the National 
Patriotic Party (NPP) and some independent candidates.  At a 
September 2004 Delegate Congress, the NRP decided that 
because of its severe financial difficulties it would not 
field a presidential candidate in 2004, although it would 
support some parliamentary candidates.  Goosie Tanoh, the 
NRP's presidential candidate in 2000, is a former lawyer and 
DCM in the Ghanaian Mission to the United Nations and now 
runs a food exporting company. 
 
NRP Sitting Out This Election 
----------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  Tanoh told Charge the NRP would field ten 
parliamentary candidates but would stay out of the 
presidential race and avoid choosing between the NDC and NPP. 
 The NRP was in a "lifetime pursuit" of better governance in 
Ghana, stressing greater community involvement, devolution of 
power, and improved public accountability.  The NRP seeks a 
greater policy role for local district assemblies, the direct 
election of district chief executives, and increased capacity 
building and resource devolution at local levels.  Tanoh and 
his colleagues highlighted inadequacies and corruption in 
education and health.  He said the party was still developing 
its manifesto, although it would not change significantly 
from its left-of-center 2000 election manifesto. 
 
A Make or Break Election 
------------------------ 
 
5.  (C) Tanoh opined that the 2004 election would be close 
and peaceful.  He dismissed concerns raised by some in the 
NPP that the NDC was recruiting foreign mercenaries to 
disrupt the upcoming elections.  This was unfounded 
fear-mongering by Ghanaian security forces seeking to bolster 
their own importance, Tanoh said.  Nonetheless, he predicted 
a major post-election realignment.  Both the NPP and NDC are 
split by strong internal divisions which are being suppressed 
for the election campaign, he said.  Some in the NDC see 
presidential candidate John Evans Atta Mills as an outsider 
and some have a strong dislike for former president J.J. 
Rawlings.  Elements in the NPP dislike its candidate, 
President John Kufuor, and foresee a succession crisis when 
he leaves the political stage.  Whichever party loses this 
election will "begin a long tailspin of disintegration", 
according to Tanoh.  With so much at stake, corruption is 
rampant in both camps - individuals are paying large sums to 
get party tickets, businesses are being squeezed for funds, 
and voters are being wooed with money and contracts, Tanoh 
alleged. 
 
What the USG Can Do? 
-------------------- 
 
6.  (C)  Charge asked Tanoh what useful role he thought the 
USG and other foreign governments can play in the upcoming 
elections.  Tanoh hoped the USG could help convince President 
Kufuor not to exaggerate securty concerns in this election. 
He urged moral supprt for the Election Commission, which he 
criticied as "very laid back" about election-related 
prblems.  USG and other foreign obsrvers would help lend 
 
 
credibility to the election process, especially if the 
results are close. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (C)  Without a single parliamentary seat and unable to 
forge an alliance with other small parties, the NRP is at 
present a minor force in Ghanaian politics.  As reported 
reftel, in a lunch former US Ambassador Robinson hosted for 
Tanoh before the 2000 election, the candidate was brimming 
with confidence and outlined a clear stance on a range of 
economic and social issues.   This week he was low-key and 
cynical.  He had difficulty describing the NRP's plank and 
appeared to lack hands-on knowledge about party activities. 
He complained about politically-motivated efforts by the NPP 
to undermine his business interests.  He and his colleagues 
appear to be waiting on the sidelines of Ghanaian politics to 
play a more prominent role when, in their estimation, the two 
major parties eventually collapse.  In our view, neither the 
NPP nor the NDC appear on a path toward disintegration any 
time soon. 
LANIER 
 
 
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