Ghana: International analysts say Woyome could cost NDC the 2012 elections

The Woyome payment saga is shaping up to be a major issue in election year, with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) continuing to support protests about National Democratic Congress (NDC) corruption and making a series of allegations. To this one can add matters like the fuel price controversy, and the internal NDC divisions that have been exposed by Woyome and perhaps led to the removal of attorney general Martin Amidu in the first place.

The London-based Economist Intelligence Unit has now stated that “the negative impact on the election prospects of the NDC and Mr Mills should not be underestimated”, which is unsurprising given its effect on Mills' reputation because he must either have:

known about the payment to Woyome and taken no action, which he denies;
known about the payment but requested it not be made, which is what was suggested in the recent interim EOCO report; or
have had no knowledge of the payments whatsoever as he claimed recently which means either that Mills has shown poor judgement or that his team believes that they can simply ignore his commands and/or not even inform him about important matters.
That international observers are now speculating on the scandal's potential effect on the elections means that the scandal has been noticed overseas, and it is only a matter of time before observers ask whether it could add to the tension of extremely close elections which are, as the EIU suggests, high stake, given the access to future oil revenues and patronage that Ghana's fledging oil industry brings.

For more news and expert analysis about Ghana, please see Ghana Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

Ghana: Prisoners to vote in 2012 elections

The Electoral Commission (EC) is to register prison inmates to enable them to vote in the 2012 general elections. On 9 th November, EC's chairman Dr Afari Gyan, said that the it would put all the necessary measures in place to start the process and would “ register them like any ordinary Ghanaian for the 2012 elections.”

Inaugurating the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison in the Central Region on 8 th November, President John Evans Atta Mills said that prison inmates have the right to vote and that the government and the EC would abide by the Supreme Court ruling.

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), however, has accused Mills of using prisoners to help secure re-election in 2012. The NPP Central Regional Secretary Kwamena Duncan told reporters “ it is only a failing government, a President that is groping in the dark that would want prisoners to vote only because that is an easier way to garner votes to stay in power.”

The decision has also re-opened the debate on whether Ghanaians living abroad should be allowed to vote in the general elections.

For more news and expert analysis about Ghana, please see Ghana Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates

Ghana: Deficit target widens in 2011 budget, more loans contracted

On 21st July parliament approved a revised 2011 budget raising the public deficit target from 4.1 per cent to 5.1 per cent of GDP. The supplementary budget will also increase spending by GH¢1.5 billion for the year, allowing for more investment in infrastructure and social issues.

The Finance Ministry has said the new spending will target job creation and comes after Ghana raised its predictions for oil revenues.

During the debate, members of the parliamentary Minority criticised the government for its “excessive” borrowing culture, accusing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of building up more debt in two years than the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had done over a period of eight years in government.

Parliament went on its annual summer recess on 22nd July having approved three loan agreements at its last sitting. Opposition politicians and anti-corruption activists claim that all contracts are overpriced and could be used to help finance the ruling party's 2012 election campaign

The loans include a US$337 million (GH¢505.6 million) agreement with the Bank Hapoalim BM of Israel for the construction of a 59-bed hospital for the University of Ghana and additional works on the Ho Regional Hospital and Hohoe District Hospital (both in NDC-supporting areas); a €13 million (GH¢28 million) agreement with ABN AMRO Bank NV of the Netherlands to finance the additional works on the Barekese Water Supply Expansion Project; and a US$800,000 (GH¢1.2 million) loan agreement with Canada's Société Générale to finance additional works on the ongoing 132-megawatt Combined-Cycle Thermal Plant at Aboadze.

During its third session, five out of nine bills put before parliament were passed: the Petroleum Commission Bill, the Bio-Safety Bill, the Law Reforms Commission Bill, the Health Institution Facilities Bill and the Export Development and Investment Fund Bill.

For more news and expert analysis about Ghana, please see Ghana Politics & Security.

© 2011 Menas Associates