VZCZCXRO3961
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHAR #1006/01 2181622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051622Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6835

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001006 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF GH IV
SUBJECT: GHANA POLITICAL ROUNDUP 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. The Electoral Commission on July 31 began the 
voter registration exercise, after months of delay.  NPP 
supporters continue to wait for a decision on a running mate 
for Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, who has assumed 
the role of the party's leader from President Kufuor.  The 
PNC and CPP launched party platforms stressing domestic 
issues. Parliament passes an anti-terrorism bill. Four cases 
of trafficking in persons have been reported in recent days, 
following police actions.  End Summary. 
 
The Electoral Commission Begins Voter Registration 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2. (U) The Ghana Electoral Commission on July 31 initiated 
the long awaited (and delayed) voter registration exercise. 
Registration will continue until August 10.  The EC will 
update the voter rolls by allowing those who have turned 
eighteen since the last update, two years ago, to register, 
along with enrolling others who have not previously 
registered.  The EC estimates that one million new voters 
could join the rolls ahead of December's presidential and 
parliamentary elections.  The opening of the exercise has 
been marked by heavy turnout, some confusion, and a few 
disturbances.  The EC obtained only half of the five thousand 
cameras and computer works stations necessary to operate in 
every electoral area.  As a result, electoral districts have 
been consolidated for the registration exercise, causing some 
confusion for those registering.  In Tamale there was a 
skirmish at one registration center following reports that 
minors were being enrolled. (Comment: Post has fielded an 
observer team during the exercise, visiting stations in 
Central, Western and Ashanti Regions. Post will report on the 
observation trip. End Comment.) 
 
NPP Has Yet to Announce Vice Presidential Candidate 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (U) President John A. Kufuor symbolically passed the 
mantle of party leadership to NPP presidential candidate Nana 
Addo-Dankwah Akufo-Addo at a well attended rally on July 13. 
Akufo-Addo used the event to introduce the party's selected 
parliamentary candidates for some of the nation's 230 
constituencies.  In some parliamentary constituencies a 
candidate has yet to be named. In other constituencies, local 
party members are protesting what they believe is the 
imposition of candidates by the party's national executives. 
 
¶4. (U) The NPP flag bearer has yet to announce his choice of 
a running mate.  The media continues to speculate on 
potential candidates. One often mentioned is Saddique 
Boniface Abubakar, Minister for Water Resources, Works and 
Housing. Other talked about candidates are Hajia Alima 
Mahama, Minister for Women and Children Affairs, and Alhaji 
Nureeden Jawula, Chief Director of the Ministry of Health. 
Jawula created a public controversy by appearing that the 
rally.  As a civil servant, he is not suppose to engage in 
partisan politics, and there were calls for his resignation 
by some newspapers and the head of Ghana's civil service. All 
three are northerners and Muslims, considered important 
points in balancing the ticket.  All three are also from 
outside of northern conflict areas, important in not 
alienating blocks of voters.  A decision should be announced 
by mid-August. 
 
 
The PNC and CPP Release Party Platforms 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Both the People's National Convention and the 
Convention People's Party have released party platforms.  The 
PNC, running under the slogan of "Real Change-Real Hope," 
favors using improved technology to spur economic 
development.  An enhanced Ministry of Science and Technology 
would be the focal point for policies and plans that 
"formulate, coordinate and infuse all national policies." 
The PNC promises a government that would balance regional 
economic and social development efforts to slow down the 
migration of young people to Ghana's urban areas. The PNC 
manifesto also calls for an independent Attorney General to 
better fight corruption, and consider making the position of 
District Chief Executive an elected office.  The PNC flag 
bearer Dr. Edward Mahama, has been on a fund-raising visit 
the U.S. 
 
¶6. (U) Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, candidate of the Convention 
People's Party, released his party's manifesto calling for a 
just and disciplined society.  The manifesto sets a goal of 
an annual per capita income for Ghanaians of at least $5,000 
within ten years.  Nduom called for the better access to 
health care, along with free and compulsory education. The 
manifesto calls for improved energy production in Ghana. 
(Note: Nduom was previously Minister of Public Sector Reform 
 
ACCRA 00001006  002 OF 002 
 
 
and Minister of Energy in the NPP government). He also calls 
for a strengthened Narcotics Control Board and other steps to 
counter-narcotics trafficking. 
 
 
Parliament Passes an Anti-Terrorism Bill 
---------------------------------------- 
 
7.(U) Parliament on July 18 passed a long awaited 
anti-terrorism bill, first introduced in 2005.  The Bill must 
receive Presidential approval in order to become law. 
(Comment: While the bill was passed, its final printing has 
been delayed. Post will report further on the legislation 
when a copy of the final document is available. End Comment.) 
 
 
Trafficking in Persons Cases 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (U) Ghana's media reported on the arrest of six men 
charged with trafficking children.  The six were arrested 
near the Cote d'Ivoire border, where they were using a bus to 
transport seventeen children.  Allegedly, the children, from 
Togo, were being transported to CDI to work as laborers on 
cocoa farms. Earlier, a dozen children were freed in a raid 
in the Western Region.  On August 4 the media reported that 
four adults had been arrested for transporting 155 children 
from the Central Region to work in the fishing and cocoa 
sectors in Cote d'Ivoire.  The children are being turned over 
to the Department of Social Welfare. In Tamale, fifteen 
children continue to be in a shelter following their rescue 
from a Koranic teacher who was forcing them to beg.  An 
EMBOFF visited the children and met with police officials. 
(Note: Post will provide an additional report on the Tamale 
situation. End Note.) 
 
BROWN