UFP Demands Fairness From IEA

The United Front Party (UFP) on Monday appealed to the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to create a favourable environment for the electorate to make informed choice and hold people aspiring to political office accountable on equal grounds.

"In Ghanaian politics, it is important that political parties are presented equally before a live audience and level playing field to help resolve the issue of biasness associated with elections, which undermines our quest to entrenching democracy."

A statement signed by Nana Kusi-Poku Listowell, UFP Communications Director, in Accra and copied to Ghana News Agency (GNA) said: “The party was against the pre-election debate series for political parties with representation in Parliament, which has been put together by the IEA, which it (IEA) claims is a fundamental part of its hard work to cement democracy in Ghana”, and said it was non-democratic and bias.

It said: "We are of the view that the approach by the IEA could be a recipe for imposition of a political party on the general voting public, which can have negative implications in this year’s elections, since they have sidelined some political parties that are amongst the selected parties whose candidates are also going to be on the ballot papers."

The statement asked the IEA to reconsider its 2012 Election Debate Series, which consist of three Presidential Debates and one Vice Presidential Debate.

It noted that though the IEA’s commitment could have helped in the quest to strengthening the pillars of Ghana’s democracy, its modus operandi was highly questionable, since it would ensure a close-up, shady, non-friendly and opaque election process because of the clause “for political parties with representation in Parliament”.

The statement asked the Inter-Party Advisory Committee and the Electoral Commission to ensure electoral transparency and fairness and to provide equal opportunity to all political parties.

"We presume the debate has been intended to bring in an issue-based approach to election campaign, increase accountability, promote dialogue between presidential candidates on their policies, as well as to enable the electorate to make an informed choice, but, on the other hand, the neglect of the other political parties especially that which have passed through all the processes legally to receive certificates from the Electoral Commission, which is the autonomous body in Ghana’s election, is out of place. "

Source: GNA