TIME and again the President has reiterated his commitment to free and fair elections on December 7 to help deepen democratic governance in the country.
Indeed, all Ghanaians have a stake in the outcome of the general election. The polls are crucial to all, not only on account of who emerges victorious but also how the process is managed to ensure that the results gain popular acclaim.
We do not need to look farther than our immediate neighbours to appreciate the challenges of effecting a peaceful transition from one regime to another or avoiding disputes when the ruling government is retained in power.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that President J. A. Kufuor recognises the need for successful polls if the country is to continue to attract investments from its development partners.
It has been our desire, as a people, since we attained nationhood, to wean ourselves from donor support. We find it more dignifying to rely on our own resources to develop the country than continue with cup in hand begging for assistance.
The DAILY GRAPHIC does not, however, recommend the policy of autarky whereby the country decides to close its borders to any assistance from the international community. In the era of globalisation when the world has become a global village, we risk being left behind if our development model focuses solely on self-reliance.
Nonetheless, we concede that our problems can best be resolved through the adoption of local remedies and the use of local expertise. What that also means is that as we look inward for the solutions, we should seek help from friends who share in our dreams and aspirations.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the only way to make Ghana a competitive destination for foreign investment is to maintain the prevailing peace and stability.
Our present attractiveness to the international business community can be attributed to 16 years of democratic governance and stability.
There are competing ends for foreign capital in recent times. For this reason, no sane investor will risk his or her investment in any failed state where respect for civil liberties, the rule of law, a free press and an independent judiciary have been ignored.
No matter the expectations of the people, we cannot rule out some weaknesses in our preparations towards the December polls. But the only way we can build our democratic institutions to deliver to our satisfaction is for all to take action together to build the capacity of those agencies.
It will not help if we continue to act as prophets of doom just because we suspect our opponents of wrongdoing. There are channels for redress and we encourage everybody to take advantage of the processes in order to avoid heightening tension in the run-up to the polls.
The DAILY GRAPHIC advises that this contest for power to manage the affairs of the country should not lead to insults and name-calling. Rather, the contestants should demonstrate their grasp of the issues that have held back our progress.
We call on the political parties to go into the contest with the objective of introducing interventions that will help to improve the living standards of the people.
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