The FNF Africa

Ghana

 As Ghana heats up to the general presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2004, equally crucial matters to grapple with include the new voters’ registration which exercise was effected in March and the creation of thirty (30) new constituencies which have been legally authorised by the unanimous decision of the Supreme Court.  Despite the legal solution to the problem, analysts wonder whether it would not have been more prudent to better equip the current two hundred seat parliament which is allegedly understaffed with acute paucity of research and logistical support.

Further concerns are whether the parties themselves can cope with the new constituencies knowing that most of them have no functioning constituency offices let alone personnel to man them.  Whether the newly created constituencies will tilt to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) or the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will greatly depend on whether the electorate has generally changed the voting pattern of selecting tribes people or going along issues and whether the citizens have got a bite of the cake of development in their respective regions or areas as well as whether their pockets are heavier now than ever.  

Yet another concern and teething problem had been the intended bill to amend the citizens representation abroad that would allow all government officials, security officers, students on scholarship abroad as well as other residents abroad to register and vote with effect from the 2004 elections. Was the electoral commission adequately resourced to carry out this exercise in this nick of time? Whilst the seven main opposition parties for the first time unanimously and vehemently kicked against the hurried manner in which the bill was being pushed, the government side felt implementing the bill was the best way to enfranchise more Ghanaians living abroad. The bill has been dropped, any way.

Be it as it may, President John Agyekum Kufuor, long standing friend of the Foundation is widely tipped to go a second term of four years ending in 2008 without shivers. With a lingering good will; friendly media relationship; visible infrastructural development dotted across the country as well as growing confidence in him by the international community and, especially the West Africa region, there is not likely to be a second round of elections.  

As would be expected, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Ghana Office is expected to play a pivotal role in the next general elections, notably in collaboration with the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) which has been its most dependable partner in the area of promoting free and fair election conduct and monitoring. More so,  as the Foundation successfully partnered with the CDD in the training of over 5,500 election observers under the name Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) towards the  2000 elections and in ensuring fair and peaceful elections and the subsequent alternative government. This year’s activities will involve reviewing the CODEO, offering further upgrading, presidential debates and election monitoring.

Consolidating liberal democracy in West Africa, particularly Ghana continues to take centre stage in the activities of the Foundation with its partners. The Ghana Liberal Students (GHALSA) in collaboration with the Foundation has barely ended the liberalism crusade launched in 2003 through the organisation of workshops in the major institutions across the country. Facilitation has been done by the Senior Programme Officer, Stephen Nibebale Bemile  of the Foundation in Ghana and the Foundation’s trained local partners including Mr Mohammed Amin Adam and Ms Ekua Dodoo.

Meanwhile, the Organisation of African Liberal Youth (OALY), umbrella body of African youth and student organisations, continues to open and link up with identifiable liberal youth and student movements in the various countries in Africa and at the global level.

Two very important initiatives in furtherance of propagating liberal democracy have been taken culminating in the institutionalisation of the Annual Liberal Lecture in collaboration with the CDD which targets liberal think tanks and the annual leadership and liberalism in conjunction with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) targeting young student and youth leaders in West Africa.

A further boost has been the visit to Germany with local and high ranking parliamentarians to Germany led by Hon.  Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Ghana’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and accompanied by Mr Ernst Specht, FNF West Africa Director. The familiarisation visit intended to understudy the German decentralisation system through the federal, state, and local government structures.

Liberalising the economy through good economic governance is equally being pursued in partnership with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) across the country. Whilst AGI gets more and more involved in advocacy and lobbying at top policy making levels, it has not relented in its efforts at reaching out to the rural areas, especially spreading to the deprived northern parts of Ghana.

The Foundation continues to offer political training, education and consultancy to liberal leaders including student and youth leaders as well as women in Ghana.

Other country offices:

• Senegal

• Nigeria

• Tanzania

• South Africa

• Zimbabwe