AKWATIA SHOULD NOT FAIL GHANA (AUGUST 18, 2009)

The political temperature in the Akwatia Constituency has been boiling since the Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled the rerun for August 18, 2009.
The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have since mobilised material and human resources to contest the seat.
A few days to the polls, however, the campaign activities of the NDC and NPP have turned violent, culminating in injuries to about 20 people whose membership cuts across the political divide. As usual, the blame game has been set in motion with the leadership of the two political parties accusing each other of perpetrating a reign of terror in Akwatia during the run-up to today’s polls.
Following the violence at Akwatia at the weekend, some political parties and organisations, individuals and, indeed, the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC), suggested that the rerun of the polls be postponed.
We think that the security challenge cannot be enough reason for the postponement of the rerun in just six polling stations because the security agencies have the capacity to contain the situation.
Ghana is a model democratic state on the African continent. The successful conduct of five elections since 1992 has helped to showcase Ghana as a beacon of hope for the rest of the continent, which is ravaged by poverty, disease and mismanagement.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that after the visit of the US President Barack Obama to Ghana and his reminder to us to encourage strong institutions instead of strong men, we all must work hard to respect the institutional framework put in place for the orderly conduct of our national affairs.
God forbid a situation where we will allow all these gains to be eroded today just because any of the political parties will want to win the Akwatia seat at all cost.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is, therefore, encouraged by the resolve of President J.E.A. Mills to endorse the decision by the EC to go ahead with the conduct of the rerun of the election in the six polling stations.
By endorsing the decision of the EC to go ahead with today’s polls and directing the security agencies to ensure peaceful polls, the President has demonstrated his willingness to encourage our institutions to work.
All eyes are watching Akwatia today and the people there should not fail the rest of the country. We appeal to them to go about their duties peacefully, rejecting the path of violence and exposing those who would want to secure their services for violent acts.
The actions of political parties should also depict that of law-abiding corporate citizens who are prepared to lead by example.
To the security agencies we say the safety of the people and the integrity of the ballot rest on their shoulders and they are called upon to work in the interest of Mother Ghana.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to all qualified voters not to become cowed because of intimidation and stay away from the polls rather they must exercise their franchise to elect the most suitable candidate for the constituency.
The task is no doubt, daunting but by no means hopeless, if we commit ourselves to free and fair polls today.
May the most suitable candidate emerge victorious today in a peacefully contested rerun to send the right signal to the outside world that we are on course to consolidate the tenets of democracy.