Ghana: Electoral Commission accepts need for reforms and calls for recommendations

 

The Supreme Court verdict - although in theory bolstering the Electoral Commission's (EC) position given its dismissal of the six petitioner counts by varying margins against Mahama, the NDC and the EC - has not been seen as a ringing endorsement of the EC's competence or conduct or of Afari Gyan's leadership. Anticipating the inevitable it is therefore unsurprising that the EC has indeed issued a call to political parties and other observers and stakeholders for recommendations for electoral reforms (to be submitted by November), which it will consider along with criticisms made by Supreme Court justices. Notably, these recommendations are to made - according to the EC - within the existing framework and laws although it is unclear what these boundaries mean in practice.

 

Publicly, at least, the various parties including the NDC , NPP, People's National Convention (PNC), Convention People's Party (CPP) and the Progressive People's Party (PPP) - among the multitude of officially registered political parties of which only seven fielded candidates in 2012 - have generally welcomed the EC's suggestion but not without criticism.

 

For example, the NDC's deputy secretary general George Lawson observed that the EC has a tendency to "rubbish what we say" and not listen to suggestions from the Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC, whose influence and power has been relatively insignificant so far. He went on to say that the NDC will meet to decide on any reform suggestions. The NPP's communications director Nana Akomea questioning the date of the elections and the resultant time for second round run-offs should they be needed as well as the need for simplification of the controversial "pink sheets". Other parties cited a need for additional technology to reduce errors and even a more general "overhaul" of the electoral system.

 

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

© 2013 Menas Associates

Ghana: Supreme Court calls in KPMG to audit the pink sheets

 

The Supreme Court has called in KPMG to audit the pink sheets tendered as evidence of the alleged irregularities in the December 2012 presidential elections.

 

The court, presided over by Justice William Atuguba, took the decision after a disagreement between the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) petitioners and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) respondents over the number of pink sheets submitted as exhibits in the case (see Comment and Analysis).

 

The court also decided that two representatives from each of the two parties to the suit should assist in the counting of the pink sheets, while the parties are also required to pay KPMG's bill.

Last week, NDC lead counsel Tsatsu Tsikata insisted on a physical count of pink sheet exhibits sworn in affidavits by the NPP.

 

Continuing his cross-examination of NPP witness and former vice presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Tsikata insisted that the petitioners had initially submitted 8,621 pink sheets displaying alleged irregularities, omissions and malpractices, and not the 11,842 stated in the affidavit filed by the petitioners, nor the 11,916 pink sheets declared in the second amended petition.

He also said that an examination of pink sheet exhibits served his clients by the petitioners revealed that 115 of the 8,621 contained no relevant data, and a further 373 pink sheets were duplicated.

 

Support for the audit came from the respondents in the case: President John Mahama's lead counsel Tony Lithur; lead counsel for the petitioners Philip Addison; and James Quarshie-Idun who is lead counsel for the Electoral Commission.

 

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

 

© 2013 Menas Associates