‘NPP, NDC MAJOR OFFENDERS OF PARTY CODE OF CONDUCT (P.14) 15-09-08

Story: Kofi Yeboah

THE ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have been identified as the major offenders of the Political Parties Code of Conduct 2008.
According to the National Enforcement Body of the code, reported cases of clashes between political parties, the carrying and use of offensive weapons to rallies, and non-co-operation with the police were some of the blatant breaches of the code.
Other breeches of the code were the mutual suspicion arising out of the recent limited voter registration exercise, the use of inflammatory and spiteful language, misunderstanding arising from the clash of dates and venues of party rallies, and the defacing of posters and paraphernalia.
Addressing a news conference in Accra after a meeting to review reports from the regions, the Chairman of the National Enforcement Body of the code, Reverend Dr Fred Deegbey, said the body was alarmed at the various breaches of the code by the political parties.
Although he did not mention specific political parties that breached the code, he admitted an assertion by a journalist that the two front-running parties, the NPP and the NDC, were the major offenders.
The Political Parties Code of Conduct 2008 was developed by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to encourage political parties to abide by agreed rules and regulations for a peaceful and successful election in December.
Rev. Dr Deegbey, who is also the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, said the National Enforcement Body was investigating the regional reports after which it would disclose the parties involved in the breeches of the code.
He said an analysis of the regional reports revealed that although Ghana was seen as a peaceful nation, “the rising political tension is a matter of grave concern”, adding that the keen political competition to win power was heightening tension and fuelling conflicts.
“The body also considered as alarming, the increasing use of the media, especially the electronic media, as the staging post for political battles.
In these places, there were no attempts to restrain politicians, social commentators and callers from mudslinging and fiery speeches”, Rev. Dr Deegbey indicated.
In order to address those issues, the National Enforcement Body made a six-point recommendation including a reminder to all political parties that the December election did not mean the laws of the state no longer existed.
It urged security agencies to be impartial and professional in the discharge of their duties.
The National Enforcement Body further urged political parties and the media to devote time on radio, television and political campaign platforms to educate the people on the code.
“The use of ethnicity by some political parties to score political points and as a basis for support, and the media to sensationalise these pronouncements must be deplored”, it insisted.