AGENDA FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

ELECTION 2008 marks the defining moment for Ghana's democracy. Indeed, some people are calling the December 7 elections the battle of the “Champion of Champions” because they are likely to define the strength of the two major political parties in the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
By the end of the tenure of the present NPP administration, it would have done two terms just as the NDC did from 1993 to 2001. So the two go into the contest having served Ghanaians two terms each, and, ordinarily, this should provide the electorate enough opportunity for objective and informed comparison.
But there are other political players who are staking their claim to the ultimate in the elections, the Presidency. The Convention People’s Party (CPP) is fast rebranding itself in order to appeal to the electorate, whereas the People’s National Convention (PNC) is also repackaging its message to win back so-called prodigal Nkrumaists. The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) has also hit the road selling its message.
Some independent presidential candidates have also declared their intention to run for the highest office of the land.
For now, it is just a struggle for the high office and the role of the media in getting the Presidential hopefuls to address the concerns of the people is just as paramount as the outcome of Election 2008.
The media have to complement the efforts of the Electoral Commission as the umpire of Election 2008 so that the players will abide by the rules of the game and avoid any confusion arising out of a dispute over the election results.
Left on their own, some politicians will raise issues they know are unachievable within our Ghanaian context just to win power. It is even said that politicians are the same because they promise to build bridges over non-existent rivers.
It is in this context that every Ghanaian must support the call by Dr Kofi Amoah, a Ghanaian entrepreneur, on all Ghanaians to put presidential candidates to task by asking them questions on real issues. According to him, having survived four successful elections, Ghana is now well placed to engage in mature and issue-related politics.
Sometimes, in their frenzy to win people to their side, political parties talk about issues that are out of tune with current realities. However, they manage to convince or mislead the people to vote for them, and while in power put a spin on their promises and output in order to look good in the eyes of the electorate.
If Ghana is to demonstrate to the whole world that we are maturing in our democratic dispensation, then the present electioneering offers that opportunity to showcase our maturity and grip of the issues that will catapult us into the group of success stories on the continent.
The Daily Graphic urges the electorate to reject those who would promise them heaven but preach violence and rather rally behind political parties whose messages offer hope and a positive outlook for the country.
There is no doubt that 16 years into democratic practice, Ghanaians have rejected the path of arbitrariness and dictatorship in favour of participatory democracy.
The Daily Graphic believes that Election 2008 can get better than the previous ones but that can only be attained if all the interest groups — political parties, the media, the EC and the electorate — play by the rules.