Ghanaians go to the polls this coming Sunday to elect
a president. The leading contenders are Nana Akufo-Addo of the ruling
New Patriotic Party; John Atta Mills of the main opposition, the National
Democratic Congress; and Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Convention People’s Party.
VOA English to Africa
reporter Peter Clottey is in Ghana to cover the elections. From Cape Coast in
central Ghana, he told English to Africa reporter Douglas Mpuga that in Cape
Coast there is great enthusiasm especially at the campus of the University of
Cape Coast, where people were discussing the upcoming election.
Clottey said people are
discussing issues ranging from “ improving quality of education, human rights,
infrastructure development and promises of the presidential candidates.”
“[As soon as] I arrived
in Accra, I saw and heard people discussing these issues very passionately,” he
said. “There wasn’t any violence involved, just discussions about which party
was going to win the Sunday elections.”
Clottey said the
campaign seems to be based on issues rather than personalities. “Absolutely,
this time around it seems to be that people are more issue oriented rather than
personal attacks that have usually categorized Africa’s politics.”
He said Ghana has had its fair share
of the old politics, but this year, with the two leading parties both having
served in government before, there is concern for the country’s development.
Clottey noted that there are a lot of
political advertisements on radio and television. But he pointed out that the
smaller parties are using music blaring from moving vehicles to put their
message across.
“The contest is very close, the ruling
party presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, served under the current
president as the attorney general and later as foreign minister. He is being
challenged by the former vice president, John Atta Mills. of the main
opposition….”
Clottey said an independent Ghanaian poll has shown a tie
but each party is claiming the advantage over the other.
