VZCZCXRO7474
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #0643/01 0810713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220713Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0741
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000643 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GH PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR HOSTS GHANA'S NPP AND NDC: BEGINNING 
THE BRIDGE-BUILDING 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary:  Ambassador recently hosted lunches for 
the leadership of each of Ghana's major political parties, 
the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the 
ruling New Patriotic People's Party (NPP).  The NDC views the 
NPP as intolerant and opposed the GOG passage of a law to 
allow overseas Ghanaians to vote.  The NPP officials 
portrayed their party as conciliatory.  They downplayed 
perceptions of corruption in Ghana and said they could not 
undertand opposition to the Representation of the Peopl 
(ROPA) law.  Both parties requested assistance with party 
capacity building.  Ambassador stressed the need for dialogue 
between the parties and committed the Embassy to helping 
build political bridges.  End summary. 
 
Lunch with the NDC 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  NDC officials believe the GOG lacks the will to 
fight corruption.  They complained that debt cancellation and 
Millennium Challenge Account funds are rewarding the NPP 
government and not Ghana as a whole. They said if the NDC 
wins the 2008 election, it will implement a social democratic 
agenda, giving greater priority to social sector projects 
such as education and health. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The NDC officials said the NPP does not tolerate 
internal and inter-party opposition.  They complained that 
the NPP devalues anything associated with the former PNDC 
regime, undermining Ghana's multi-party and 
consensus-oriented culture. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The most worrisome example of this, they said, was 
the NPP's handling of the Representation of the People 
(Amendment) law (ROPAL).  NDC Chairman Dr. Kwabena Adjei 
fears the bill is a mechanism for the NPP to rig the 2008 
election, noting that the NDC does not have resources to 
monitor overseas polling.  He and other NDC officials 
complained about the lack of consultation on ROPAL, in 
contrast to previous election-related disputes which were 
brokered through an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), 
under the auspices of the Electoral Commission (EC).  NDC 
General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia said the GOG might 
take legal action to force the EC to implement the bill. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Ambassador noted the importance of a strong 
opposition in ensuring Ghana's democracy.  She noted that the 
Embassy tries to reach out to all Ghanaians and that 
assistance such as the MCA funds are designed to help the 
Ghanaian people, not just the government.  We recognize that 
previous governments contributed to Ghana's achievements, she 
added, hoping that the NDC would find a way to dialogue with 
the NPP.  She committed to help build political bridges. 
 
Lunch with the NPP 
------------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  NPP executives praised the NPP as a conciliatory 
party preparing Ghana for a bright future.  President Kufuor 
has brought members of different parties into his government 
and, according to National Treasurer Gifty Ama Asantewaa 
Ayeh, is sometimes "even too nice" toward opponents.  They 
cited the recent example of Wayo Seini, the NDC Member of 
Parliament who recently left the NDC and has been welcomed 
back into the NPP (he was previously an NPP MP.) She pointed 
out that the NPP also supported the National Reconciliation 
Commission, which has helped heal historical wounds. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  The NPP executives also stated that various 
factions within the NPP have patched up differences following 
the close election for party chairman in their November 
convention.  NPP Chairman Peter Mac Manu highlighted how he 
greeted his NPP opponent Stephen Ntim with open arms after 
the vote.  He also downplayed inter-party friction.  Although 
there is tension between some of the supporters of the 
parties, the party leadership meets regularly and jokes as 
friends, he said. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  When asked about corruption, Asantewaa Ayeh said 
corruption was not a major problem in Ghana compared to 
elsewhere in Africa.  She reiterated the president's 
long-standing offer to deal with corruption if presented with 
evidence.  Anti-corruption institutions exist to handle the 
problem, the executives said. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Asked about the ROPAL, they pointed out that the 
NDC had introduced the law in 1996 and that it conformed to 
the constitution.  They questioned why the NDC would now 
oppose it and asked if the donor community was against it. 
Asantewaa Ayeh said there are 18 contenders for the party's 
nomination in the 2008 presidential elections, although none 
of them are official because they have not yet paid their 
 
ACCRA 00000643  002 OF 002 
 
 
nominating fees. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Ambassador said the United States did not take a 
position on the ROPA law but stressed the importance of fair 
and transparent processes and institutions.  She highlighted 
our strong bilateral relations, while noting the need to 
strengthen anti-corruption institutions.  She stressed the 
need to maintain a process of dialogue with other parties and 
she welcomed continued interaction with the NPP leadership. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  The lunches, in conjunction with other political 
outreach efforts by the Ambassador over the past two weeks 
(reported septel), have helped build the Embassy's 
relationship with Ghana's main parties.  The NDC Chairman was 
visibly touched that the Ambassador presented him with a 
birthday cake (the first in his life, he said).  The NDC 
officials were passionate and intellectual.  Their NPP 
counterparts were more casual and self-satisfied.  Executives 
of both parties requested capacity building for their 
parties, which we will seek to address.  We will look for 
ways to bridge the unhealthy divide between the NPP and NDC. 
Unfortunately, these lunches did not reveal much common 
ground. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BRIDGEWATER