CONSIDER THIS SUGGESTION

LAST Friday, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) suggested the revision of the voting time during general elections in the country. It said instead of the normal 7.00 a.m. to 5 p.m. voting time, the Electoral Commission (EC) should push the polling time to between 6.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. because, in the view of the NCCE, the incidence of the threat to peace resulting from problems created during the counting and collating of election results in the night could then be prevented.
This suggestion must have been made in good faith, in view of the violence resulting from the disputed elections in some of our neighbouring countries. Already, some political parties are beating the war drums concerning how free, fair and transparent this year’s elections will be. This is because they claim the 2004 elections were rigged.
Although the EC has tried to explain these matters time and time again, there are those who are bent on discrediting elections whenever they lose. Therefore, it is important for all interested groups — political parties, organisers of elections, the electorate and, indeed, all Ghanaians — to play an active role in any move that will leave no one in any doubt about the freeness, fairness and transparency of the December 2008 polls.
It is sad that some doomsday prophets do not miss any opportunity to make reference to what is happening in Kenya and hint of a similar fate befalling Ghana if their parties fail to win Election 2008.
Since 1992, Ghana has held elections, some of whose results some political parties disputed, but in most cases they decided to document the irregularities that occurred, go to court or call on the EC to do a recount. Indeed, in 2004, a recount of the ballot in the Pru Constituency led to the EC overturning its verdict and, whichever way one looks at it, the EC won a lot of public confidence by that action.
That the EC is a credible institution which has the track record of organising free and fair elections, to the envy of other electoral bodies on the continent and beyond, has never been in doubt. The Daily Graphic believes that the EC is capable of rising to the occasion at the December 2008 polls, provided the political parties do not inflame the passions of their supporters and incite them to violence if defeat stares them in the face.
We all know that victory is sweet, while defeat is painful. Therefore, no one goes into an election with the aim of losing. But the possibility exists and so as the political parties mount the platform to campaign, they must make sure not to make Election 2008 a “do-or-die” affair.
The elections could swing in favour of the opposition or the ruling party will retain power, depending on issues at stake, not personal attacks, smear campaign and the prediction of doom for the country if a particular political party does not win.
Ghana is bigger than any individual or group interest and the collective interest must be canvassed by all so that the country could continue to enjoy peace, stability and development.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, calls on the EC to give the suggestion from the NCCE a serious thought and lay the proposal before the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) for consideration. If it is found to be plausible, it should adopt it for this year’s elections.
We believe that while we call on all to be vigilant and protect the integrity of the December poll, and by extension safeguard national unity and stability, no shade of doubt should be left in anybody’s mind that there are plans to rig the elections in favour of any party.