A visiting Senior Fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Brigadier General Francis Agyemfra (retired), has cautioned leaders of political parties against inciting their supporters to engage in acts that could negatively affect Election 2012. He said the upcoming presidential and parliamentary polls would be a real test for democracy in Ghana.

Brig-Gen Agyemfra was speaking at the inauguration of the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo political parties’ code of conduct regional enforcement bodies, in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

The code was collectively and voluntarily adopted by the parties to guide their activities and aid the entrenchment of multi-party democracy.

It makes explicit provisions against offences, including hampering the rights of other political parties to put their views across to the electorate, defamatory, inflammatory and foul language, disrupting or breaking up rallies or meetings, abuse of incumbency, use of thugs to intimidate and terrorise voters, fraudulently procuring results and votes by invasion, stealing of ballot boxes and unilateral declaration of election results by political parties and candidates.

The Regional enforcement bodies are among other things mandated to monitor the electioneering and rallies, investigate allegations of breaches of the code and recommend sanctions, in the region.

The Reverend Dr Patrick Osei-Poku, Coordinator, Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi, was elected as chairman of the Ashanti enforcement body, while Mr Issah Nasagri, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of the NCCE is chairman of that region’s body.

Source: GNA

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