VZCZCXRO4797
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #1822/01 2421814
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301814Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5186
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001822 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GH
SUBJECT: GHANA POLITICAL ROUNDUP 
 
 
Topics Covered: 
 
-- Ruling NPP Holds Primaries in the North 
-- Trade Union Leadership Struggle 
-- Professor Mills Predicts End for NPP 
-- NPP Poll and Presidential Aspirants 
-- Ghanaian Concern About Inaction on 2005 Gambia Murders 
 
NPP Selecting Candidates 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. (SBU) The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is selecting 
Parliamentary Candidates for constituencies in three northern 
regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions) ahead of the 
2008 general elections. [NOTE: The NPP has been historically weak in 
these areas, and does not hold parliamentary seats in these 
constituencies. END NOTE]. In some instances, District Chief 
Executives and Deputy Regional Ministers are being unanimously 
selected by party delegates after what the national party officers 
call "interviews." Some observers have criticized this selection 
process as neither competitive nor transparent, and have suggested 
that some candidates who do not receive a nomination may launch 
independent bids. 
 
¶2. (U) NPP executives have rebutted this criticism, arguing that the 
screening and endorsement process is an effective and fair method 
for selecting candidates given the number of activists interested in 
running. Party officials also claim this approach is appropriate 
"given the special circumstances facing the party." In the last 
election, the NPP won only two of 13 seats in the Upper East region, 
1 of 10 in the Upper West and 8 of 26 in the Northern region. 
 
ICU in Leadership Struggle 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) On August 20, an Accra Court ordered Napoleon Kpoh, Secretary 
General of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) and 
Ahmed Y.B. Salifu, National Chairman of the ICU, to step down from 
office after a 17 year reign. This decision followed a lengthy power 
struggle between Kpoh and the union's Interim Management Committee, 
after Kpoh refused to vacate his office at the conclusion of his 
elected term.  Kpoh's term expired on August 10, but Kpoh and Salifu 
failed to convene a congress of ICU members to choose successors. 
Kpoh has appealed the court's decision. The ICU remains an 
influential Trade Union, but this leadership struggle may weaken the 
union. 
 
End in Sight for the Ruling NPP? 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Professor John Evans Atta Mills, National Democratic Congress 
(NDC) Presidential Candidate, and former Vice President, claimed 
August 21 that "the clock is ticking" for the ruling NPP government, 
saying that the only way the NPP can win in 2008 is to manipulate 
the election's outcome. Mills, who is currently touring the U. S. to 
drum up support and money among the Ghanaian diaspora, also said the 
ruling party is only interested in pursuing a partisan agenda, 
instead of keeping Ghana focused on common goals. Mills claims that 
"Ghanaians are tired of the same old bickering and it is time to 
move forward." He told his audience that, if elected, his government 
would enter into dialogue with all shades of political opinion and 
inspire hope in Ghanaians. 
 
¶5. (U) Mills' trip to the U.S. is but one example of the NDC's 
vigorous fundraising activities in Europe and North America to 
support its 2008 campaign. Similar engagements by former President 
Rawlings across the U.S. are reported to have yielded the NPP USD 
700,000 in pledges during August. Mills is one of the better known 
names in Ghanaian politics, having contested two previous elections. 
In 2004, he received 43% of the vote compared to Kufuor's 52%. 
Former FM Announces Candidacy, but trails in NPP POLL 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Meanwhile, the contest to represent the NPP in the 2008 
elections is becoming more heated, with approximately two-dozen 
candidates in the current field.  On August 28, former Foreign 
Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo formally announced his 
candidacy, highlighting his qualifications for the job and arguing 
that he is the best candidate to "safeguard democracy."  On August 
29, the President's brother (and former Defense Minister) Addo 
Kufuor, announced his own candidacy.  However, at this stage Addo 
Kufuor does not appear to be among the front runners. 
 
¶7. (U) Despite much fanfare around Akuffo-Addo's announcement, an 
Accra-based local newspaper, the Daily Dispatch, published a poll on 
August 28 of 900 Ghanaians in 15 constituencies, showing former 
Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen and Vice President Aliu Mahama as the 
early favorites for the NPP nomination and Akuffo-Addo well behind 
in third place. Several Embassy sources have cautioned against 
reading too much into Kyerematen's early lead, saying that much time 
remains before the election. 
 
 
ACCRA 00001822  002 OF 002 
 
 
The results follow: 
 
 Alan Kyerematen - 16.5% 
 Alhaji Aliu Mahama - 16% 
 Hackman Owusu-Agyeman - 10.9% 
 Nana Akufo-Addo - 10.9% 
 Dan Botwe -7.6 % 
 Frimpong Boateng - 6.7 % 
 Mike Oquaye -6.3 % 
 Osafo Maafo-5.6 % 
 Papa Owusu Ankomah -4 % 
 Addo Kufuor - 2.3 % 
 Owusu Agyepong -2 % 
 Kofi Apraku -1.7 % 
 Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey -1.2 % 
 
Murder of Ghanaians generates new public interest 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8. (U) Civil society groups and prominent individuals have expressed 
deep disappointment with the GOG's delay in resolving the murder of 
eight Ghanaians and forty-four other West African nationals in the 
Gambia in 2005 while they were en route to Europe through Senegal. 
Following renewed public interest and media criticism, the MFA 
announced that a seven-member government delegation departed Accra 
for the Gambia on August 24 as part of the continuing investigations 
into this incident. 
 
¶9. (U) Despite numerous delegations to the Gambia, little has been 
learned about the fate of these individuals. The state owned 
"Ghanaian Times", quoting Ghana Police sources, recently claimed 
that the order for the Ghanaians' execution came from Gambian 
President Yahya Jammeh since he was led to believe that the 
Ghanaians in question were dissidents preparing to overthrow his 
regime.  President Jammeh did not attend the recent African Union 
summit in Accra and some Ghanaian observers attributed his absence 
to the controversy over the Ghanaian deaths. A final report on the 
incident should be issued in September, according to government 
sources. 
 
BRIDGEWATER