US embassy cable - 04ACCRA2366

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 002366 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, GH 
SUBJECT: GHANA IS PREPARED FOR LARGELY FREE AND FAIR 
ELECTIONS 
 
Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C)  The stage is set for a substantially free, fair, and 
peaceful election on December 7. All political parties have 
publicly and privately committed themselves to promoting 
transparent and violence-free elections. Although the 
Electoral Commission has not managed its budget well, they 
seem on track with distributing ballot papers and other 
materials necessary for Election Day. Ghanaians have 
benefitted from lively discussion and debate on television 
and radio, in workshops and debates. On November 17, Ghana 
saw its second-ever presidential debate.  Although the ruling 
party was absent, the opposition parties discussed a wide 
variety of topics. The volatile Northern region has remained 
generally calm. Ghana's security agencies also seem 
well-organized and mobilized to monitor events on Election 
Day. End summary. 
 
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LIVELY DEBATE 
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2. (U)  Campaign 2004 has been marked by lively discussion 
and debate. Parliamentary candidates have participated in 
local debates throughout the country. Television and radio 
shows have saturated Ghanaians with call-ins and programs 
about the election. PAS has sponsored a series of party 
discussions on different election topics. On November 17, the 
Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) hosted Ghana's 
second-ever presidential debate in front of a national 
television and radio audience. 
 
3. (U) The debate included National Democratic Congress (NDC) 
candidate John Atta Mills, the Convention Peoples Party 
(CPP)'s George Aggudey, and People's National Convention 
(PNC) flag bearer Edward Mahama. (The NPP did not 
participate). Questions focused on the economy, good 
governance, and social sector issues. 
 
4. (U) The economy: Mahama said the PNC would take Ghana out 
of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, boost 
educational and agricultural subsidies, lower fuel prices, 
and improve the efficiency of public sector enterprises. 
Aggudey of the CPP argued that Ghana should stop "begging" 
and improve self-sufficiency. Atta Mills of the NDC conceded 
that "we can't wish away Bretton Woods institutions" but 
argued Ghana should seek more leverage in the implementation 
of IFI programs. Ghana would have to increase fuel prices 
because of world price hikes, he said, although he hoped the 
rise could be moderated by cuts in fuel taxes. He argued for 
greater diversification of exports and industries and lower 
interest rates. 
 
5. (U) Good Governance:  All participants said they would 
fight corruption. Mahama said the PNC would enact a conflict 
of interest law and separate the portfolios of the Attorney 
General and Minister of Justice. He would protect whistle 
blowers and improve the work environment for judges. Aggudey 
(CPP) thought Ghana had sufficient institutions to crack down 
on corruption (although they need strengthening). He would 
reinstate the criminal libel law because of abuses by the 
media. Atta Mills acknowledged the NPP had done some good 
work and the NDC would build on this, not scrap everything 
which came before it. 
 
6. (U) Social Sector:  the PNC and CPP candidates argued for 
free education for all. Atta Mills (NDC) supported free 
primary education for all and improvements to polytechnical 
instutions, stressing the NDC's committment to "social 
democracy". The PNC candidate highlighted the need to improve 
health care and health insurance. The NDC candidate said jobs 
and youth programs were a priority. Aggudey of the CPP made 
headlines by noting the need to bring more women into 
government to "bring comfort" to his administration. All the 
participants were cautious about the pending domestic 
violence bill, favoring traditional ways of handling marital 
rape and domestic violence. The PNC and CPP candidates called 
for prosecuting the killers of the Ya Na (the Dagbon Chief 
murdered in 2002 in Yendi, Northern Region). 
 
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GENERALLY CALM IN THE NORTH 
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7. (U) The political atmosphere in the Northern Region, the 
region considered most likely to encounter election-related 
violence in the lead-up to December 7, has remained calm. The 
regional authority recently lifted a ban on public rallies 
and call-in radio programs (Note: Although not legally 
binding, the "ban" was essentially a warning to radio 
stations not to encourage inflammatory rhetoric on their 
programs; the "lifting" was a signal that the government and 
media were working together. End note).  President Kufuor, 
Vice President Mahama, and NDC leaders Atta Mills and JJ 
Rawlings have all visited and addressed public rallies in the 
Northern Region over the past few weeks. 
 
8.  (SBU) While addressing supporters in Tamale, the capital 
of the Northern Region, President Kufuor announced that the 
government supports a burial for the Ya-Na early after the 
elections (Note: the Ya-Na has yet to be buried because the 
Andanis and Abudus, the "gates" of the Dagbon tribe, disagree 
about who should take over the chieftancy. End note).  He 
also paid an unexpected stop in Yendi, which helped calm the 
atmosphere in the area. The parties appear to recognize the 
importance of peaceful elections and are exercising 
restraint. Active outreach by civil society and security 
personnel to encourage peace has also been effective. 
 
9. (U) There were only two security incidents over the past 
week. On November 28, two people sustained gunshot wounds 
during a rally featuring Rawlings and NDC vice presidential 
candidate Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni in Tamale. It is not clear 
who fired the weapon. The incident in Tamale followed an 
incident, also involving Rawling's convoy earlier in the week 
in Bongo, Upper East region. Mr. Clement Apikiya, the 
District Chief Executive (DCE) of Bongo (near the regional 
capital of Bolgatanga), reported a case of assault by one of 
Rawling's bodyguards as Mr. Apikiya tried to drive through an 
area where Rawlings' convoy had stopped. Local press 
initially reported the incident as an assault on the DCE by 
Rawlings himself, but the DCE later released a press 
statement clarifying his report. Investigations concerning 
the incident are ongoing. 
 
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THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION ON LOGISTICS 
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10. (SBU) The Electoral Commission (EC) continues to train 
domestic and international election observers, distribute 
ballot papers and indelible ink throughout the country, and 
has released its final register to the political parties. 
Complaints about the EC's handling of the voter register have 
quieted down in the past two weeks.  In response to concerns 
about poor turnout at the exhibition of the register, the EC 
has decided to accept voters who have valid voter ID cards 
and are on the poll book, a separate, more complete list than 
the register.  Representatives of the EC have repeatedly told 
PolOffs that the register and all other logistics are in good 
order for December 7. 
 
11. (C) On budget matters, however, the EC has not performed 
well. At a meeting with international donor partners in early 
November, the Deputy Commissioner of the EC said that if 
their budget did not have enough to sustain a run-off 
election, it would "go knocking on the door of the Finance 
Minister and ask for more money." At another donor meeting on 
November 30, the EC flatly admitted that it had not kept 
track of its incoming donor funds and its expenses and 
requested that donors provide the EC with the amounts they 
have donated and into which accounts. 
 
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COMMENT 
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12. (C)  Ghana has shown it merits its democratic credentials 
in preparation for this election.  The Electoral Commission 
had some difficulties with delays and the massive task of 
creating a new register with photos for 10 million voters. 
Despite these problems and its budget issues, we give the EC 
high marks for impartiality and it will likely pull off this 
election without too many hitches. The run-up to the election 
has been peaceful, with a few exceptions. Ghana's security 
agencies have created a National Election Task Force and have 
taken active measures to ensure election day is peaceful. 
Opposition parties have criticized the NPP for abusing 
incumbency, especially in the use of the media. A recent 
study by the Center for Democracy and Governance also argues 
that the NPP has had more access to the media than other 
parties.  The NPP has been more aggressive in spreading 
patronage before this election.  Nonetheless, opposition 
parties have also received widespread media coverage and have 
been actively campaigning in all parts of the country. 
 
13. (C) For the most part, campaign rhetoric and debates have 
been civil.  Civil society groups have organized peace 
marches, prayers for peace, election education campaigns, and 
candidate debates, and are fielding around 10,000 domestic 
observers. While there will undoubtedly be reports of 
irregularities (and post will have 30 teams of observers 
deployed on polling day to watch the process, along with 
around 100 other foreign observers), the stage is set for 
substantially free and fair elections on December 7. The 
election should also be generally peaceful, with the possible 
exception of Tamale in the Northern District, and the 
ethnically and politically volatile town of Bawku in Upper 
East.  End comment. 
YATES