The Politics of The Polls

Re: Atta Mills leads 53.6%, Akufo-Addo 42.0% in latest polls

Feature Article of Tuesday, 18 November 2008
http://www.ghanaweb.com

The 16th November 2008 “poll” released by a so-called Policy & Strategy Associates Inc. purportedly of London, UK with results stating the NDC’s Prof. Mills was in the lead with 53.6% and Akufo-Addo 42.0% can only be charitably described as bogus.

The “poll” report does not reveal which constituencies were visited and the number of constituencies visited. As a puerile attempt to arrest its fraudulence, the report tells us: “It must be noted that this polling exercise is the third research exercise sponsored by young Ghanaian professionals who are independent, multi-partisan working associates of the Policy & Strategy Associates, Inc. in the Diaspora.” No contact details of this group are provided.

The following are just a few of the inaccuracies detected through preliminary analysis undertaken by DI.

1. NON-EXISTENCE OF COMPANY Policy and Research Associates Inc. is nowhere on the radar. A preliminary check made by the Danquah Institute has drawn a blank on the existence of ‘Policy & Strategy Associates Inc anywhere in the world. The publication says it is a UK-based firm. Though the legal concept of incorporation is common across the globe, the term Inc (meaning Incorporated) is never used in the UK to refer to any registered organisation. So, Policy & Strategy Associates Inc. cannot be a British firm as claimed by the publication planted on www.ghanaweb.com and www.myjoyonline.com. In the United States, corporations are identified by the term "incorporated" (Inc.), in Germany, GmbH, and for much of Europe and Latin America it is SA.

The organisation does not appear to exist (no website nor postal address is mentioned).

2. WRONG MARGIN OF ERROR Analysing the data, statisticians of DI were quick to dismiss the ‘survey’ as a “shameless exercise of creative armchair opinion sampling.” No specific sample size is mentioned. The publishers give a range of sample sizes from about 720-765 per region. A ±4% margin of error, taking account of a minimum sample size of 7,000 to 7,200 or a maximum of 7,650 is woefully incorrect and insulting to the principles of sampling.

The margin of error is a statistic expressing the amount of random sampling error in a survey's results. The larger the margin of error, the less faith one should have that the poll's reported results are close to reality; that is, the figures for the whole population.

The margin of error is calculated from this formula: 0.98 = M.E √n Where n = 7,000, 7,200 or 7,650 (Sample Size)

The margin of error calculated with 7,000, 7,200 or 7,650 will give you a margin of error of ± 1.17%, ± 1.15% and ± 1.12% respectively which is totally way off ±4% stated by the supposed pollsters

3. EQUAL WEIGHTING Equal weighting of respondents across the ten regions of Ghana is highly unscientific (at least 700 respondents per region as it is supposed in this case). When you assign the statistical figures in percentages and count Upper West percentile equal to Ashanti Region, you are going to make kind of error that could be generously described as “Opinion Poll Rigging.” The authors are guilty of statistical illiteracy. It is mathematically lazy and disingenuous to equate the various regions when they have vast and varied sizes in number of registered voters. Perhaps their calculation was premised on the fact that each of the regions has one regional minister, rather than the fact that the number of districts, constituencies and registered voters differ from region to region.

4. INFORMAL INTERVIEWS AND SCIENTIFIC POLLING (CONTRADICTION) “Informal” and “scientific polling” as said to have been conducted by the supposed pollsters is highly contradictory. Informal interviews allude to the fact that there’s no structured questionnaire. It is like having a drink in a beer bar and taking the advantage to talk about politics.

5. SELECTION OF SAMPLE SIZE PER REGION What is the basis for selecting at least 700 respondents per region? Which constituencies in each region were selected? What informed the selection of constituencies? Do you pick only perceived NDC strongholds leaving out NPP, PNC or CPP strongholds?

6. What was the sampling method and how did they arrive at the sample size of 720-765 per region? What was the basis of deciding on this sample size?

The piece carries the authorship of a Prince Kassim, Associate & Report Editor, Policy & Strategy Associates, Inc Email: policystrategy@consultant.com. We would advise Ghanaians to go on the web and fine out a bit more about Consultant.com.

We would also hope that the websites that published the “polls” have direct contact details to Prince and would allow Ghanaians the benefit of probing.

Ghanaians have to be mindful of ghost pollsters. The temptation of creating a false impression that you are winning may be too much for some politicians to resist.

Asare Otchere-Darko Executive Director, Danquah Institute

Comments to follow!

Ghana: Election Statistics 1951-2004

08 February 1951 Legislative Assembly Election

Registered Voters: Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 663,069

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) won a plurality of seats in the election. No figures are available.

15 June 1954 Legislative Assembly Election

Registered Voters: Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Party	Number of Seats (104)
Convention People’s Party (CPP)	71
Northern People’s Party (NPP)	12
Togoland Congress (TC)	02
Ghana Congress Party (GCP)	01
Muslim Association Party (MAP)	01
Anlo Youth Association (AYA)	01
Independents	16

17 July 1956 Legislative Assembly Election

Registered Voters 1,390,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout) Not Available (approx. 50%)

Party Number of Seats (104)

Convention People’s Party (CPP) 71

Northern People’s Party (NPP) 15

National Liberation Movement (NLM) 12

Togoland Congress (TC) 02

Muslim Association Party (MAP) 01

Federation of Youth (FY) 01

Independents 02

27 April 1960 Plebiscite

Main Points: Presidential Republic, Increased Presidential Powers

Registered Voters 2,098,651

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 1,140,165

Results Number of Votes % of Votes

"Yes" Votes 1,008,740 88.47%

"No" Votes 131,425 11.53%

27 April 1960 Presidential Election

Registered Voters: 2,098,651

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 1,140,699

Candidate (Party) Number of Votes % of Votes

Kwame Nkrumah (CPP) 1,016,076 89.07%

Joseph Boakye Danquah (UP) 124,623 10.93%

31 January 1964 Constitutional Referendum

Main Points: Sole Legal Party, Increased Presidential Powers

Registered Voters: Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 2,776,372

Results Number of Votes % of Votes

"Yes" Votes 2,773,920 99.91%

"No" Votes 2,452 00.09%

Single Party Elections

Sole Legal Party: Convention People’s Party (CPP)

1965 Presidential Election (Kwame Nkrumah re-elected unopposed)

1965 National Assembly Election

29 August 1969 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters: 2,360,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Party % of Votes Number of Seats (140)

Progress Party (PP) 58.7% 105

National Alliance of Liberals (NAL) 30.4% 29

United Nationalist Party (UNP) 3.8% 02

People’s Action Party (PAP) 3.4% 02

All People’s Republican Party (APRP) 1.8% 01

Others 1.8% 01

30 March 1978 Referendum

Main Points: A union of civilian and military institutions in government

Official Question: "Do you approve whether or not some form of Union Government would become the basis of Ghana's political system?"

Registered Voters: 4,497,803

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 2,282,813

Results Number of Votes % of Votes

"Yes" Votes 1,372,427 60.11%

"No" Votes 910,386 39.89%

June & July 1979 Presidential Election

First Round (18 June 1979)

Registered Voters: 5,000,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 1,788,201

Second Round (09 July 1979)

Registered Voters: 5,000,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Candidate (Party) First Round Second Round

Number of Votes % of Votes % of Votes

Hilla Limann (PNP) 631,559 35.32% 62.0%

Victor Owusu (PFP) 533,928 29.86% 38.0%

William Ofori-Atta (UNC) 311,265 17.41% -

Frank Bernasko (ACP) 167,775 9.38% -

Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama (SDF) 66,445 3.72% -

John Bilson (TFP) 49,104 2.75% -

R.P. Baffour 8,812 0.49% -

Kwame Nyanteh 8,480 0.47% -

Mark Diamond Addy 5,959 0.33% -

Alhaji Ayannah 4,874 0.27% -

18 June 1979 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters: 5,000,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Party Number of Seats (140)

People's National Party (PNP) 71

Popular Front Party (PFP) 42

United National Convention (UNC) 13

Action Congress Party (ACP) 10

Social Democratic Front (SDF) 03

Independent 01

28 April 1992 Constitutional Referendum

Main Points: Multiparty System, Division of Powers

Registered Voters: 8,255,690

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes: Not Available

Total Valid Votes: 3,680,974

Results Number of Votes % of Votes

"Yes" Votes 3,408,119 92.59%

"No" Votes 272,855 07.41%

03 November 1992 Presidential Election

Registered Voters: 8,229,902

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): 4,127,876 (50.2%)

Candidate (Party) % of Votes

Jerry John Rawlings (NDC) 58.4%

Albert Adu Boahen (NPP) 30.4%

Hilla Limann (PNC) 6.7%

Kwabena Darko (NIP) 2.8%

Emmanuel Erskine (PHP) 1.7%

29 December 1992 Parliamentary Election*

Registered Voters: 7,336,846**

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): 2,059,415** (28.1%)

Party Number of Seats (200)

National Democratic Congress (NDC) 189

National Convention Party (NCP) 08

Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE) 01

Independents 02

*The following opposition parties boycotted the election: New Patriotic Party (NPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), National Independence Party (NIP), and the People's Heritage Party (PHP).

**Registered Voters and Total Vote figures exclude 23 constituencies with unopposed candidates.

07 December 1996 Presidential Election

Registered Voters: 9,279,605

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (approx. 78%)

Candidate (Party) [Coalition] % of Vote

Jerry John Rawlings (NDC) 57.4%

John Agyekum Kufuor (NPP) [Grand Alliance] 39.6%

Edward Mahama (PNC) 3.0%

07 December 1996 Parliamentary Election

Registered Voters: Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A)

Party Number of Seats (200)

National Democratic Congress (NDC) 133

New Patriotic Party (NPP) 60

People’s Convention Party (PCP) 05

People’s National Convention (PNC) 01

Vacant* 01

*Voting was postponed in one constituency because of a legal dispute concerning the eligibility of candidates. The seat was subsequently won by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in a by-election held in June 1997.

December 2000 Presidential Election First Round (07 December 2000) Registered Voters: 10,698,652 Total Votes (Voter Turnout): 6,605,084 (61.7%) Invalid/Blank Votes: 104,214 Total Valid Votes: 6,500,870 Second Round (28 December 2000) Registered Voters: 10,698,652 Total Votes (Voter Turnout): 6,459,003 (60.4%) Invalid/Blank Votes: 77,616 Total Valid Votes: 6,381,387 Candidate (Party) First Round Second Round % of Votes Number of Votes % of Votes John Agyekum Kufuor (NPP) 48.4% 3,631,263 56.90% John Evans Atta Mills (NDC) 44.8% 2,750,124 43.10% Edward Mahama (PNC) 2.5% - - George Hagan (CPP) 1.8% - - Augustus Obuadum "Goosie" Tanoh (NRP) 1.1% - - Daniel Augustus Lartey (GCPP) 1.0% - - Charles Wereko-Brobby (UGM) 0.3% - - 07 December 2000 Parliamentary Election Registered Voters: 10,698,652 Total Votes (Voter Turnout): 6,633,306 (62.0%) Invalid/Blank Votes: 102,549 Total Valid Votes: 6,530,757 Party % of Votes Number of Seats (200) New Patriotic Party (NPP) 44.98% 99 National Democratic Congress (NDC) 41.21% 92 People’s National Convention (PNC) 3.44% 03 Convention People’s Party (CPP) 1.31% 01 National Reform Party (NRP) 2.25% - United Ghana Movement (UGM) 0.50% - Independents & Others* 6.30 04 Vacant - 01 *All four seats were won by independents **After a by-election held on 3 January 2001, the vacant seat was filled by the New Patriotic Party (NPP). 07 December 2004 Presidential Election Registered Voters: 10,354,970 Total Votes (Voter Turnout): 8,813,908 (85.1%) Invalid/Blank Votes: 188,123 Total Valid Votes: 8,625,785 Candidate (Party) [Coalition] Number of Votes % of Votes John Agyekum Kufuor (NPP) 4,524,074 52.45% John Evans Atta Mills (NDC) 3,850,368 44.64% Edward Mahama (PNC) [Grand Coalition]165,375 1.92% George Aggudey (CPP) 85,968 1.00% 07 December 2004 Parliamentary Election Registered Voters: 10,354,970 Total Votes (Voter Turnout): Not Available (N/A) Party Number of Seats (230) New Patriotic Party (NPP) 128 National Democratic Congress (NDC) 94 People's National Convention (PNC) 04 Convention People's Party (CPP) 03 Independent 01

Obama Nie! Atta-Mills Nie!!!

Obama Nie! Atta Mills Nie!!!

NPP and Democrat Union of Africa

BREAKING NEWS!!!

NPP to host Democrat Union of Africa conference

Accra, Nov. 17, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will host a two-day Democrat Union of Africa (DUA) conference on November 22 to 23 in Accra.

A statement signed by NPP's Head of International Affairs, Mr Charles Owiredu, said the conference with the theme; "Africa's Response to the Global Financial Crisis" will emphasise the impact of the global financial crisis in Africa and what centre-right governments and political parties can do to mitigate its impact.

The Union, which is made up of centre and centre right parties in Africa, aims at developing ideological consensus among representatives of the political parties and also offers a forum in which African political parties of like mind can support each other. The Congo crisis and political situations of member countries, among others, would be discussed at the conference as DUA also seeks to explore ways of consolidating multi-party democracy and strengthening the internal capacities of political parties in Africa. The conference to be held at the Labadi Beach Resort will attract leaders of political parties in Africa and some foreign observers.

Source: GNA

All hands on the deck!

Roll up your sleeves for a massive exposure!!!!

"La bête rentre dans l'abattoir toute seul!" French for "the beast is entering the slaughter house on its own!" We should take every opprtunity to expose them!
A cursory look at their membership is like a who is who in the gallery of African traitors! Does Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social (UDPS) ring a bell? It is led by Etienne Tsikesedi who was one time the Prime Minister of Mobotu Se se Seko! The Uniäo Democrática Nacional de Angola (UDN) of Angola has not even got a single seat in the Angolan parliament of 206 seats! In fact the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (Partido do Trabalho) (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) polled 53.7% of the seats to get 124 seats in parliament. This is followed by the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (Partido do Trabalho) (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) with 53.7% and 124 seats. This is followed by Mr. Bornito de Sousa Baltazar Diogo's UNITA of Savimbi fame, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola) with 34.1% and 64 seats! The rest is nothing to write home about!

The NPP is the strongest neo-colonialist party on the African continent! The Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI-RDA) Ivory Coast is an old rogue. It was the party that maitained cordial relations with APARTHEID South Africa under Félix Houphouët-Boigny. This is an old political party created by the French colonisers to hand over power to a black face whilst the colonial business went on as usual! From independence in 1960 to 1990 it was the only legal party, and was led by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. In 1990 the first multi-party elections took place, but the party remained in power. When Houphouët-Boigny died in 1993 he was replaced by Henri Konan Bédié. The party lost power when Bédié was ousted in a December 1999 coup.

The PDCI announced in early 2000 that it would hold a congress to choose new leadership, and Bédié denounced this as a "putsch"! The party decided to retain Bédié in the leadership, however. In August, Bédié and four other PDCI members registered as candidates in the October 2000 presidential election; shortly afterward, Emile Constant Bombet, who had served as Interior Minister under Bédié, defeated Bédié for the PDCI presidential nomination. Bombet and Bédié were both barred from running by the Constitutional Court in early October, and on October 10 Bédié called for a boycott of the election. In the parliamentary election held on 10 December 2000 and 14 January 2001, the party won 94 out of 225 seats.

On May 18, 2005, the PDCI and the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), despite a history of hostility towards one another, signed an agreement to form a coalition, the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace, along with two smaller parties, the Union for Democracy and Peace in Côte d'Ivoire (UDPCI) and the Movement of the Forces of the Future (MFA), ahead of the presidential election then planned for October 2005. This election was delayed and is now planned to be held in 2008.

More to follow....

Welcome To This Special Brainstorming Session!

Dear Friends,

Thank you for heeding this call!
A TIME TO ACT TOGETHER!!!

We have no moderator and no leader in this forum apart from decorum.

All of you have been carefully invited. We shall simultaneously identify the intruders and automatically ignore them together so that they do not succeed to distract our attention from this very important national assignment. Tell us how the campaign is doing, how it could be improved, what NPP-damaging news is in town? How do we diffuse them? Who will do what? Quickly and effectively?

Articles Research and Development Committe

We need a team od volunteers to research specific articles. All you have to do is to suggest topics and also post relevant info for others to use!

Make any other suggestions to help us make this victory a one-youch one!!!!
Thank you!

Nana Akyea Mensah, the Odikro.

My next favourite topic is the Drug Menace. I am working on it right now and I need some help! Let us assembly all the information with names and positions in the NPP!

Current topics:

The NPP Membership of the Conservative Christian IDU and its implications on Ghanaian Muslims!

Our principal objective here is to help open the eyes of Muslim voters, and progressive Christians alike, the nefarious connections of the NPP that shapes and fashions their foreign policy religiously skewed against Islam!

There is so much to fish from here. The political links between the two elephants in the US and Ghana are made bare, the history of all the member parties is a history of systematically taking the side of colonial forces against the African Majority. etc etc etc!


For more information and discussions please click beolw:
Background information:
The International Democratic Union:

Background information: The International Democratic Union:

Background information:
The International Democratic Union:


Definitions:
Let us begin with History Dictionary on the Religious Right:
A coalition of right-wing Protestant fundamentalist (see fundamentalism) leaders who have become increasingly active in politics since the Supreme Court's 1972 decision in Roe versus Wade. Among its leaders are Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. The Religious Right sponsors a network of Christian bookstores, radio stations, and television evangelists. Opposed to abortion, pornography, and what it views as the marginalizing of religion in American public life, the Religious Right has also championed prayer in the public schools. In the 1980s it gave strong support to President Ronald Reagan.

A coalition of right-wing Protestant fundamentalist (see fundamentalism) leaders who have become increasingly active in politics since the Supreme Court's 1972 decision in Roe versus Wade. Among its leaders are Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. The Religious Right sponsors a network of Christian bookstores, radio stations, and television evangelists. Opposed to abortion, pornography, and what it views as the marginalizing of religion in American public life, the Religious Right has also championed prayer in the public schools. In the 1980s it gave strong support to President Ronald Reagan.


History of the IDU or better still, an autobiography (culled from the secretive IDU website!):

The International Democrat Union (IDU) is a working association of over 80 Conservative, Christian Democrat and like-minded political parties of the centre and centre right.

Formed in 1983, the IDU provides a forum in which Parties holding similar beliefs can come together and exchange views on matters of policy and organisational interest, so that they can learn from each other, act together, establish contacts and speak with one strong voice to promote democracy and centre-right policies around the globe. Founder Members of the IDU included Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, then Vice-President George Bush Sr, Jacques Chirac - now President of France, Chancellor Helmut Kohl and many other Party Leaders.

Our Mission

1. The International Democrat Union (IDU) shall consist of Member Parties of the Americas Democrat Union (ADU); the Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU); the Caribbean Democrat Union (CDU); the Democrat Union of Africa/African Dialogue Group (DUA/ADG); and the European Democrat Union, which have adhered to the IDU Declaration of Principles.
2. The IDU will foster the common philosophy of its Member Parties, establish permanent relations at a bilateral and multilateral level, encourage mutual support and to these ends will provide a forum for the exchange of views and information on matters of interest to all or a considerable number of its Member Parties.

Countries can only develop their full potential if they develop recognising the ideals of liberal democracy, freedom of the individual, and the need for economic growth to be based on individual initiative and free, competitive enterprise economies. The IDU has a clear role in a modern world, where today's idea in one country is tomorrow's policy in another.

Through the IDU, member Parties can exchange policy ideas, assist each other to win the political argument, and to win elections. There are regular meetings of both the full IDU and its Regional Unions and Organisations. The officers of the IDU are elected at Party Leaders' Meetings which are held every three or four years.

At IDU Executive Meetings, briefings are given on local and topical issues, as well as consideration given to applicant parties. Apart from Executive Meetings, the IDU holds annual events such as the Young Leaders Forum, plus projects like the special visit undertaken to Zimbabwe. A major event is also held every four years to coincide with the Republican Convention, the last one being held in August 2004 in New York.

The IDU also organises campaigning seminars for politicians and party workers. These involve exchanges of information on campaign technology, fund-raising techniques, opinion polling, advertising and campaign organisation. The IDU plays an essential role in enabling like-minded, centre-right parties to share experiences in order to achieve electoral success.

Founders:

19 dignitaries attended the meeting that established the IDU held at the Hotel Intercontinental n London on 24th June 1983: Dr Alois Mock (Osterreichische Volkspartei, Austria); Prime-Minister Margaret Thatcher (Conservative Party, Great Britain); Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU, Federal Republic of Germany); Prime-Minister Franz-Josef Strauss (CSU, Federal Republic of Germany); M Jacques Chirac (Rassemblement Pour la Republique, France); Mr Andrew Peacock (Liberal Party, Australia); M Evangelos Averoff-Tossiza (Nea Demokratia, Greece); Sr Fraga Iribarne (Alianza Popular, Spain); Sr Oscar Alzaga, (Partido Democrata Popular, Spain); Mrs Susanne Wood, National Party, New Zealand); President Clafcos Clerides (Democratic Rally, Cyprus); Mr Ilkka Suominen (Kansallinen Kokoomus, Finland); Sr Lucas Pires (CDS, Portugal); Mr Tasuo Tanaka (Liberal Democrat Party, Japan); Mr Ulf Adelsohn (Moderata Samlingspartiet, Sweden); Mr Erik Nielsen (Progressive Conservative Party, Canada) ;Prime-Minister Poul Schluter (Det Konservative Folkeparti, Denmark); Mr Jo Benkow (Hoyre, Norway); and Mr Frank Fahrenkopf (Republican National Committee, USA).

Members
The IDU has over 80 Member Parties from over 60 countries belonging to itself or one of its Regional Unions. It is the only international organisation of its kind with full members from both Russia and the USA. Many of its members come from democracies newly established during the 1990s.

In addition to full membership of the IDU, parties can also join one of the Regional Unions or the Women's and Youth Organisations under the International Democrat Union umbrella

Regional Unions:

Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU)
P O Box 6004
Kingston
ACT 2604
AUSTRALIA

Contact: Bruce Edwards (Liberal Party, Australia)
Contact e-mail: bruce.edwards@liberal.org.com
Chairman: Ranil Wickremesinghe MP (United National Party, Sri Lanka)
Phone: +612 62 732564
Fax: +612 67 31534


AUSTRALIA
The Liberal Party of Australia
Member: APDU and IDU

PO Box 6004
Kingston
ACT 2604
AUSTRALIA

Party Leader:
Dr Brendan Nelson MP

Contact: Bruce Edwards
Contact e-mail: bruce.edwards@liberal.org.au
Phone: +61 2 6273 2564
Fax: +61 2 6273 1534
Web-site: www.liberal.org.au

Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
Member: APDU, IDU, UPLA Associate Member

1204 - 130 Albert Street
Ottawa
Ontario, K1P 5G4
CANADA

Party Leader: The Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper, P.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Canada

Contact 1: Don Plett (Party President)
Contact e-mail: donplett@conservative.ca
Phone: +1-204-346-4040

Contact 2: Jeff Steiner
Contact e-mail: jdmsteiner@cs.com
Phone: +1 613 755 2000

Fax: +1 613 755 2001

Web-site: www.conservative.ca

CHILE
National Renovation Party
Partido Renovacion Nacional (RN)
Member: APDU, UPLA, IDU

Antonio Varas 454
Providencia
Santiago
CHILE

Contact: Marcelo Muños, International Secretary
Contact e-mail: mmunoz@rn.cl
Party Leader: Carlos Larrain Peña
Phone: +56(2) 373 8740
Fax: +56(2) 373 8709
Web-site: www.rn.cl

EL SALVADOR
Nationalist Republican Alliance
Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA)
Member: UPLA, APDU, IDU

Prolongacion Cl Arce No 2423
Ent 45 y 47 Av
San Salvador
EL SALVADOR

Party Leader: Rodrigo Avila

Contact 1: Dr Oscar Santamaria, Director for International Relations
Contact e-mail: osantamaria@123.com.sv
Phone: +503 2264 0246
Fax: +503 2264 0247

Contact 2: Gerardo Balzaretti, Centre for Political Studies
Contact email: gbalzaretti@liza.com.sv
Phone: +503 260 4400
Fax: +503 260 5918
Web-site: www.upla.net/arena

Fiji
Soqosoqo Duavata Ni Lewenivanua (SDL)
Member: APDU

P O Box 17889
Suva
FIJI
Party Leader: Laisenia Qarase
Tel: +679 330 1544
Fax: +679 330 7606

KOREA
The Grand National Party
Member: APDU and IDU

14-34, Yoido-dong
Yeongdeungpo-Gu
Seoul, Korea 150-748

Party Leader: Chairman Kang Jae-sup
Contact: International Affairs Bureau
Contact e-mail: ir@hannara.or.kr
Phone: +82 2 3786 3342/3
Fax: +82 2 3786 3344

Web-site: www.hannara.or.ko

MONGOLIA
Democratic Party
Member: APDU, IDU Associate Member

Central Post POB 1085
Ulaanbaatar
MONGOLIA

Phone: +976 11 324221
Fax: +976 11 312810
E-mail: mndp@mongol.net

Party Leader: The Hon Norov Altankhuyag
First Deputy Prime Minister

Contact: International Secretary Ariunzayat Yunren
E-mail: ariunzayat@yahoo.com

Phone: +976-11-322055
Phone 2: +976-11-324221
Web-site: www.demparty.mn

Nepal
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)
Member: APDU

National Democratic Party
Post Box 12981
Charumati Bahal, Chabel, Kathmandu
NEPAL

Party Leader: Hon Pashupati S J B Rana, MP
Contact: Mr Jayant Chand, International Relations Department
E-mail: rppnepal@enet.com.np

Tel: + 977 1 4471 071 or + 977 1 4414 037
Fax: + 977 1 4423 384
Web-site: www.rppnepal.org

NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand National Party (NZNP)
Member: APDU and IDU

P O Box 1155
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND

Party Leader: John Key MP
Chairman: Mrs. Judy Kirk

Contact:
Mark Oldershaw, General Manager
E-mail: mark.oldershaw@national.org.nz
Phone: +64 800 255 266
Fax: +64 800 255 277
Web-site: www.national.org.nz

Republic of China
Kuomintang (KMT)
Member: APDU, IDU

Kuomintang (KMT)
No 232, Bade Road, Sec. 2
Taipei City, Taiwan
REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Contact: Tu-Hsiao Chen
Contact e-mail: nyla3689@hotmail.com
Party Leader: Poh-hsiung Wu, Chairman
Phone: +886 2 877 28 323
Fax: +886 2 877 28 343
Web-site: http://www.kmt.org.tw

RUSSIA
Union of Right Forces
Member: APDU and IDU

15, Malaya Andronyevskaya Str
Moscow 109544
RUSSIA

Party Leader: Nikita Yu. Belykh
Deputy Leader: Leonid Gozman
Contact: Leonid Gozman\Arkady Murashev
Contact e-mail: gozman@rao.elektra.ru
E-post 2: chief@clcp.ru
Phone: +7 095 710 40 09
Fax: +7 095 710 40 77
Web-site: http://www.sps.ru/party/english/

SRI LANKA
United National Party (UNP)
Member: APDU and IDU

"Sirikotha"
400 Kotte Road
Pita Kotte
Sri Jayawardenepura
SRI LANKA

Party Leader: Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe MP
Contact: Ravi Karunanayake MP, International Secretary
Contact e-mail: ravik@eureka.lk
Phone: +94 1 500 941
Fax: +94 1 500 972
Web-site: www.unp.org.com

UNITED STATES
Republican National Committee
Member: APDU and IDU

Dwight Eisenhower Republican Centre
310 First Street SE
Washington DC 20003
USA

Web-site: www.rnc.org

RNC Chairman: Mike Duncan

Contact: Elizabeth Dugan, Vice President
International Republican Institute
1225 Eye Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20005
USA

Tel: +1 (202) 408-9450
Fax: +1 (202) 408-9462
E-mail: edugan@iri.org
Web-site: www.iri.org

1 - 4 September: Republican National Convention

The IDU together with Mercury Public Affairs, in cooperation with the IRI, will organize an International Leaders Program at the 2008 Republican National Convention. The 2008 Convention will take place in Minneapolis-Saint Paul between 1 and 4 September 2008. Participants should plan for arrival on August 31 in the afternoon/evening, and may plan for departure from the morning of September 5.

This event is now fully booked, and there is a waiting-list of nominated participants from IDU parties.

The IDU Executive Committee will hold a meeting in connection with the Convention, on Thursday 4 September. Further details will be posted in the Members Login area as the date approaches.

For general background and updates on the Republican Convention - see this link: http://www.gopconvention.com/

Member parties in Africa:

Angola
Uniäo Democrática Nacional de Angola (UDN)
Member: DUA Observer

Democratic Republic Kongo
Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social (UDPS)
Member of: DUA Observer

Ghana
Ghana New Patriotic party
Member: DUA, IDU

Private Mail Bag, Accra- North
Accra
GHANA

Party Leader: President John A Kufuor
Chairman: Peter Mac Manu
Contact e-mail: pmacmanu@hotmail.com

Tel 1: +233 21 220 987
Tel 2: +233 21 222 420
Fax: +233 21 240 663
Web-site: Under construction

Ivory Coast
Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI-RDA)
Member: DUA Member
05 BP
36 Abidjan 05
Ivory Coast

Party Leader: Henri Konan Bédié
Secretary General: Prof. Alphonse Djedje Mady
Contact: Hon. Dongo Kouassi
E-mail: nkwanta.fr@yahoo.fr
Tel: +225 2244 1363
Tel: +225 0784 7781

Contact: Jean-Marie Kakou Gervais, International Affairs
E-mail: kgervais@afnet.net
Tel: +225 2241 7658
Mobile: +225 07 63 33 07

Lesotho
Basotho National Party (BNP)
Member: DUA Observer

Liberia
Unity Party
Member: DUA Observer

Party Leader: Dr. Charles Clarke
Contact: Dr. Charles Clarke
Fax: +231 77512528
E-mail: Dr.Clarke-Chairup@yahoo.com

Mozambique
Mozambique National Resistance
Member: DUA, IDU Associate Member

Resistencia Nacional de Mocambique (RENAMO)
Ahmed Sekou Toure Avenue 657
Maputo City
MOZAMBIQUE

Contact: Eduardo Namburete, Foreign Affairs Advisor
Party Leader: Afonso Dhlakama

E-mail: namburete@yahoo.com
Tel: +258 827 404 740
Tel 2: +258 828 397 110
Fax: +258 21 497 288
Web-site: www.renamo.org.mz

Namibia
Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia (DTA)
Member: DUA, IDU Associate Member

PO Box 173
Windhoek 9000
NAMIBIA

Party Leader: Hon. Katutuire Kaura

Contact 1: Tjeripo Hoveka
E-mail: t.hoveka@parliament.gov.na

Contact 2: Secretary General Alois Gende
E-mail: gende@iway.com

Tel: +264 61 238 530
Tel 2: +264 61 288 2543 (Office in the Parliament)
Fax: +264 61 226 845

Niger
Mouvement National de la Societé de Dévelopement (MNSD)
Member: DUA Observer

Seychelles
Democratic Party
Member: DUA Member

PO Box 269

Mahe

Seychelles

Party Leader: Paul Chow

Contact email: info@dpseychelles.com

Tel: +248 224 916
Fax: +248 324 456

Sierra Leone
Movement for Progress Party (MOP)
Member: DUA Member

PO Box 600
Freetown
Sierra Leone

Party Leader: Zainab Bangura
Contact: Secretary General Amadu Kamara
E-mail: emilecarr@yahoo.co.uk
Tel: +232 766 24 514
Fax: +232 22 227 941

Tanzania
Chama Cha Demokrasia Na Maendeleo (CHADEMA)
Member: DUA, IDU Associate Member
P.O. Box 31191
Dar Es Salaam
TANZANIA

Party Leader: Hon Freeman A. Mbowe

Contact: John Mnyika, Acting Director for International Relations
Contact e-mail: info@chadema.net and mnyika@yahoo.com
Contact 2: Secretary General Dr Slaa Willibroad MP
Contact email: slaa@chadema.net
Contact 3: John Mrema, Assistant for International Relations
Contact email: mrema@chadema.net
Tel: +255 22 266 88 66
Fax: +255 22 266 88 66
Web-site: www.chadema.net

Uganda
(1) Democratic Party (DP)
Member: DUA Member
PO Box 7098
Kampala, Uganda

Party Leader: Hon John Ssebaana Kizito
Contact: Dr Bayigga Michael Lulume
E-mail: democrat_s@yahoo.com

(2) Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)
Member: DUA Member
PO Box 26928
Kampala, Uganda

Party Leader: Dr Kizza Besigye
Tel: +256 772-402851 / +256 752 373 647
Contact: International Secretary Okumu Ronald Reagan
E-mail: rro@email.com; orr_p9@hotmail.com
Web-site: www.fdcuganda.org

Visiting address: Plot No 109, Entebbe Road - Najjanankumbi

IDU OFFICERS

1. IDU Party Leaders' Meeting: John Howard re-elected Chairman
The IDU Party Leaders, at their meeting in Paris on June 26, 2008, unanimously re-elected
the Hon John Howard as Chairman, and elected the IDU officers for the coming three years.
On behalf of IDU's Party Leaders' Meeting the Chairman issued statements on a number of
important international issues; concerning Zimbabwe, Cuba, Nicaragua, Belarus, Venezuela
and Sri Lanka (see points 2 – 7 below).
The IDU Officers for 2008 – 2011:
Chairman
The Hon John HOWARD AC, Liberal Party of Australia
Deputy Chairman
The Honourable Jan PETERSEN MP, EDU Co–Chairman, Conservative Party,
Norway
Assistant Chairmen
The Right Honourable William HAGUE MP PC, Conservative Party, United Kingdom
The Honourable Shane L. STONE AC PGDK QC, Liberal Party of Australia
Vice Chairmen
The Honourable Kostas KARAMANLIS MP, EDU Co-Chairman, Prime Minister of
Greece, New Democracy Party, Greece
The Honourable Dr. Ivo SANADER MP, Prime Minister, Republic of Croatia,
Croatian Democratic Union

1
The Honourable Bendt BENDTSEN MP, Deputy Prime Minister, Conservative Party,
Denmark
The Honourable Dr. Pin-Kung CHIANG, Vice Chairman, Kuomintang (KMT),
Taiwan
Chairman Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF)
The Honourable Stockwell DAY MP PC, Conservative Party, Canada, Minister of
Public Safety
The Honourable Alexander DOWNER MP, Liberal Party of Australia
The Honourable Lourdes FLORES, Party Leader, Partido Social Cristiano, Peru
The Honourable Leonid GOZMAN, Union of Right Forces, Russia
The Honourable Peter HINTZE MdB, CDU Germany, Parliamentary State Secretary
for Industry and Science
The Honourable Erwin HUBER MdL, CSU Germany, Party Chairman, Minister of
State for Finance
The Honourable Carlos LARRAIN, Party Leader, National Renovation Party, Chile
The Honourable Peter MACMANU, Chairman DUA, New Patriotic Party, Ghana
The Honourable Etibar MAMMADOV, Party Leader, the National Independence
Party of Azerbaijan (NIPA)
The Honourable Wilfried MARTENS, Chairman EPP, Belgium
The Honourable Mariano RAJOY MP, Party Leader, Partido Popular, Spain
The Honourable Marco SOLARES MP, Honorary Chairman UPLA, The Unionista
Party, Guatemala
The Honourable Ranil WICKREMESINGHE MP, Chairman APDU, United National
Party, Sri Lanka
Treasurer
The Lord ASHCROFT KCMG, Conservative Party, United Kingdom
Political Auditor
Mrs. Eva GUSTAVSSON, Head of International Office, Moderate Party Sweden
Executive Secretary
Mr. Eirik MOEN, the Conservative Party of Norway

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My next favourite topic is the Drug Menace. I am working on it right now and I need some help! Let us assembly all the information with names and positions in the NPP

--

Nana Akyea Mensah
http://nanaakyeamensah.blogspot.com/

Kwame Nkrumah and the fight for independence

GUYANA UNDER SIEGE
	KWAME NKRUMAH: THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE

		Page 2 of 3		(10 December 1947 - 6 March 1957)		HOME
		The fog-filtered African sun on 10 December, 1947, witnessed Kwame Nkrumah's return to the Gold Coast, disembarking at Takoradi after an absence of 12 years. He found a country still very much under British colonial domination, but was soon aware that demand for major political change was fermenting just beneath the surface. Wallace Johnson's communist West African Youth League had infiltrated from Nigeria in 1937 and had stirred the political pot throughout the Gold Coast. Johnson's star waned when he was convicted of sedition and deported in 1938. However, he left behind the residue of discontent with colonialism and a growing but leaderless demand for self-rule. The colonial government moved quickly and decisively to suppress every contentious political movement. Chiefs who showed any inclination towards independence were quickly destooled. Anti-tax movements were rapidly suppressed. Suspect civil servants were sacked and, in some cases, detained. Any challenge to British rule was abruptly terminated. It was into this period of suppression that Kwame Nkrumah arrived home. Within days, he returned to his home at Nkroful for a brief family reunion. Word spread quickly that Nkrumah was home and after a fortnight, he began a series of speaking engagements and meetings in order to sense the level of unrest that lay just beneath the surface throughout the country. A series of meetings with the leadership of the United Gold Coast Convention, (UGCC), founded on 4 August, 1947, and lead by Dr. J. B. Danquah, resulted, on 20 January, 1948, in the appointment of Nkrumah as General Secretary of the Party. From that moment at Saltpond, the die was cast. The Gold Coast had its' leader and was on a fixed and determined course towards independence from Great Britain. Nkrumah began an intense speaking tour throughout the country, and with his unique, impassioned rhetoric, soon had the entire country seething with Pan-African enthusiasm and demands for self-rule. Boycotts of European goods were initiated, labor strikes became common place and work slowdowns began in all areas of the Gold Coast's commerce and industry. The 28th of February, 1948, was a landmark day in the nation's history. A large contingent of former servicemen who were tired of unfulfilled promises by the government, drafted a petition seeking redress of grievances for presentation to H.M's Governor, Sir Gerald Creasy. As they marched, unarmed and defenseless, they were set upon by government troops at Christianborg cross-roads. When the smoke cleared, sixty-three former loyal soldiers lay dead or badly wounded on the streets of Accra. Gold Coast would never be the same. Rioting and looting lasted for five days. On 1 March, 1948, the Riot Act was read and Governor Creasy declared a state of emergency. Strict press censorship was imposed over the entire country. On 12 March, the Governor issued Removal Orders and police were dispatched to pick up and arrest the entire UGCC Central Executive. Kwame Nkrumah, Dr. Danquah, E. Akufo Addo, William Ofori Atta, E. Obelsebi Lamptey and E. Ako Adjei were arrested, detained and exiled to the Northern Territories. On 14 March, 1948, Cape Coast students demonstrated, demanding the release of the Party leadership. Once again, the government responded with great force, leaving the dead and dying in its wake. Meanwhile, the Colonial Office in London, greatly upset by events in the Gold Coast, appointed a Commission, chaired by Mr. A. K. Watson, Recorder of Bury St. Edmunds, with a mandate to investigate the reasons for the disturbances and to make recommendations for the continued governance of the colony. They began their in-country interviews and deliberations on 1 April, 1948. With the country in chaos, Governor Creasy finally acceded to demands and on 12 April, 1948, the Party leadership was released from detention. On 19 April, he lifted the 1 ½ month press ban. These actions served to superficially quiet the country, but it did nothing to suppress the now flourishing and rampant demand for self-rule. On 26 April, 1948, the Watson Commission concluded its deliberations and shortly thereafter, presented its report to H.M.G. The principal recommendation was that a Constitution be drafted as a possible prelude to eventual self-rule. To that end, an all African Constitutional Committee was appointed under the Chairmanship of an esteemed African jurist, Mr. Justice Henley Coussey of the Gold Coast High Court. In the meantime, Nkrumah toured the country addressing huge crowds of every persuasion, every tribe, every religion and every class of society. "Self Government Now" echoed throughout the land. The strength of the three words grew at each speaking venue until it became the heartbeat of the country. With adult public opinion rapidly falling into line, Nkrumah next moved to mobilize the youth of the Gold Coast. On 26 February, 1949, he announced the formation of the Committee on Youth Organization (CYO) designed to bring young people actively into the political fray. At the UGCC Easter Convention at Saltpond, Nkrumah rebuked the membership claiming that they were not working hard enough, that they did not fully understand and support his vision of self-rule. In a highly tense and acrimonious exchange, Nkrumah tendered his resignation as General Secretary of the party. On 12 June, 1949, at a CYO rally in Accra, Nkrumah announced the formation of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), calling for political unity and a nationwide unified demand for self-rule. "If the Coussey Committee does not find for self-rule now, we will shut this country down, we will strike, strike, strike!" On 7 November, 1949, the Coussey Committee Report was published. Contained therein, were a number of mechanisms for inclusion of Africans in government, but it stopped short of advocating or even suggesting self-rule. While the Coussey report was comprehensive and generally accepted by political moderates, Nkrumah was furious because of its self-rule shortcomings. He announced formation of the Ghana Representative Council (GRC) as the principal body to initiate appeal against the report. Plans were announced for a nationwide Positive Action strike to begin 1 January, 1950. He renewed his nationwide tour, calling on "all men of goodwill, organize, organize, organize. We prefer self-government in danger, to servitude in tranquillity. Forward ever, backward never". The chant "Self-government now" was taken up in every corner of the country. New Years Day, 1950, dawned with labor shutdowns in every industrial and commercial facility. Government responded immediately with a State of Emergency announced by the Governor. Flying squads of the Gold Coast Constabulary swooped down and arrested more than 200 CPP and CYO leaders, including Nkrumah. Arrests and detentions did not stop the movement. Enough people stepped into the leadership void to perpetuate the movement. The "Gold Coast Leader" was initiated, first as a sub-rosa broadsheet and within a month, as a widely distributed CPP propaganda newspaper. In the meantime, the government accepted the Coussey Committee report and began implementing its recommendations, beginning with municipal elections in Accra on 8 April, 1950, Cape Coast on 12 June, 1950 and Kumasi on 4 November, 1950. CPP won in a landslide, to the shock and chagrin of H. M. G. Although still in prison, Nkrumah recorded an extraordinary plurality of 22,780 votes out of 23,122 votes cast. On 19 February, 1951, the new Governor, Sir Noble Arden-Clarke, signed the Bill of Release freeing Nkrumah and others from prison after 13 months of detention. An invitation to State House on the day of his release resulted in Nkrumah being asked to form a government and become Leader of Government Business in the first African dominated government of the Gold Coast and the National Assembly. Nkrumah accepted, but he warned the Governor that he considered the Coussey generated Constitution to be "bogus, fraudulent and unacceptable, as it does not fully meet the aspirations of the people of the Gold Coast". He added that he would not rest "until full self-government within the Commonwealth was achieved". With that statement, he announced his first cabinet of 4 Europeans and 7 Africans. The die was now cast. The sun would soon rise on a new nation, Ghana. For the next year, Nkrumah focused his effort on the development of an equitable constitution and creation of massive nationwide self-help schemes. Work was begun on the enormous Volta River hydroelectric project and others of national importance. On 5 March, 1952, Nkrumah was made Prime Minister. Work continued on a new Constitution. The country's first Five Year Development Plan was published and through its implementation, 9 Teacher Training Colleges, 18 Secondary Schools and 31 Primary and Middle schools were built. In the Northern Territories, 10 new hospitals were built. Major roads were constructed linking Accra and Cape Coast and Kumasi and from Tamale to Bolgatanga. Nkrumah stepped up his pressure for negotiations for full Independence. Finally on 18 September, 1956, the Secretary of State for the Colonies announced a firm date for Gold Coast Independence, 6 March, 1957. On 12 November, 1956, a new Constitution was approved along with the nation's renewed name, Ghana, after the ancient traditional Ghana Empire, the oldest known state of West Africa, which flourished from the third to the seventeenth century. On the appointed day, 6 March, 1957, the new nation was born. At midnight at Accra's Polo Grounds, Prime Minister Nkrumah announced that "the long battle is over and our beloved country Ghana is free forever". Always the Pan-Africanist, mindful of the rest of Africa, he said: "We again re-dedicate ourselves in the struggle to emancipate other countries in Africa, for our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent
		HOME <<< PAGE 1 TOP PAGE 3 >>>
	© 2001 Guyanaundersiege.com

A Caveat Emptor On Okompa's Damaged Product!

A Caveat Emptor On Okompa's Damaged Product!
by Nana Akyea Mensah

A Rejoinder to: 'Political Prostitutes are also Citizens..., by Kwame Okoampa Ahoofe Jr. Ph; D., Feature Article of Sunday, 16 November 2008.



"I don't know, and I also don't see, why some Ghanaians feel so abjectly self-righteous as to demand that Ms. Frances Awurabena Asiam march according to their stereotypical, or conventional, notion of what constitutes consistent ideological integrity. In other words, for her most mordant critics, the former National Women's Organizer of the so-called National Democratic Congress (P/NDC) ought to have remained in the pay of Ghana's longest-ruling military dictator, even after the latter had sicced an unconscionable posse of P/NDC campaign thugs on, perhaps, the best-educated woman to have served as that pseudo-party's drum-majorette.

The pertinent question, though, is that even assuming that, indeed, Ms. Asiam were a "political prostitute," or harlot, as her teeming detractors claim, what ought to prevent her from being the very best political prostitute that she could ever be? And, by the way, has not the glorified mantra always been that in order for Ghana to progressively accelerate as fast as is humanly possible, all her citizens and residents need to exert their maximum efforts at whatever good it is that they do best? In any case, didn't Ms. Asiam offer the best riposte to her critics when she poignantly observed to novices of the trade that those who deem her purely pragmatic decision to truck with the winsome and fetching New Patriotic Party (NPP) "do not understand contemporary politics"? (Ghana Election Watch.com 11/14/08).

"Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, Jr. Ph. D., 'Political Prostitutes are also Citizens... Feature Article of Sunday, 16 November 2008,

In the first place, I wish to strongly condemn the use of "political prostitute". The word "prostitute" or "harlot" is pejorative and therefore not an appropriate terminology to apply if we want to be politically correct. Being mindful that our national political debate must be devoid of insults, some of us have carefully preferred to use the politically correct terminology of a "political sex worker".

That said, what surprises me is the quality of this rumbling piece of writing which begins with a justification of the role of political sex workers like Ms. Frances Awurabena Asiam and attempts to glorify "political prostitution" on the alter of "Realpolitik", yet childishly accuses Prof. Atta-Mills, as though the writer had agreed all along with the critics of Ms Asiam on the despicable nature of her trade! Okoampa writes:

"Indeed, far, far more than Ms. Asiam, it is Prof. Atta-Mills who is the veritable and shameless political prostitute of Election 2008!"

If anyone is looking for instructions on the fine art of how to eat their their cakes and still have it intact in their hands, eureka! The address of this master of tautology, of the ranks of Shadwell, son of Flecknoe, is given at the end of his articles!

Caveat emptor:
Potential buyers are kindly requested to beware, Kwame Okoampa is a well-known charlatan and asking for a free demonstration first before paying a cent to him is strongly recommended as the rule of the thumb!

Okoampa dares to ask:

"And how better to do so than to truck with the party that has demonstrated by its sterling performance, within just two electoral terms, that it is the best and most progressive of all postcolonial Ghanaian political parties and governments?"
Quite regularly, one does not get used to getting completely lost and wondering which political party Okoampa is talking about when such words like "progressive" are used to describe the NPP, a party that is in competition with past military dictatorships to beat their records on impunity, on cold-blooded murder, on political persecution by means of judicial imprisonment of people associated with the opposition, the right to assembly, interference in chieftaincy disputes for short-term political gains, sale of any conceivable national resource, including our telecommunications, national gold reserves, and are now focusing their attention on our national forests preserved and reserved by successive colonial and post-colonial governments since Guggisberg in the 1920s! What is so progressive about freeing cocaine and heroin traffickers to enable them carry on their normal activities because they are important financiers of the NPP? What is so progressive about the President mentioning only a single case of "sniffing" corruption and citing a minister who was not even a member of his party, when even party officials like Dr. Arthur Kennedy have visibly dipped deep into our national coffers right under his very wide nostrils? What is so progressive about a whole Minister of the Interior, Dr. Kwame Addo Kufour, the president's big brother, running away from Mr. Will Ross, BBC West African Correspondent currently investigating the role of drug money in Ghana-Election 2008, and not being bothered to even attempt to clear the air concerning allegations of drug traffickers and barons behind the Akufo Addo campaign? Why did not the honourable Minister take advantage of this interview, two weeks ago, to clear the air? Is he not mindful of the implications on our reputation as citizens of a "narco state"? If Okapi's idea of progress includes our arses being torn apart to be peeped into at all international airports because our government is in bed with drug barons, I will have none of it! And I am ready to "YES-WE-CAN!" the NPP for this!

What is so progressive about the wanton interference with the judiciary to ensure appropriate verdicts? As if it was not enough to promote judges favourable to the government whims and caprices to the Supreme Court in order to reverse earliar decisions on the Tsatsu case, we have also been treated to a prosecutor of the case attempting to sit as an Apeals Court judge even though when he used to work with Nana Akufo Addo at the Attorney General's Department, he had accompanied Nana Addo several times before Justice Abban? Why does Justice Abban and all keading members of the NPP keep referring to Tsatsu's association with the PNDC as a basis of the justification of their high-handedness?

Okoampa's Feature Article of Monday, 13 October 2008 on the Daily Graphic eloquently states: The 'Graphic' Has Been Entrusted to the NPP, as Simple as That! What could be a better example of undemocratic governance when even the pretences of inclusion and the non-political use of the tax payers money for the promotion of one political party at the expense of other voices representing the next government of Ghana?

Okoampa asks:

"Anyway, what makes Ms. Asiam any more of a political prostitute than, say, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, the chameleonic flagbearer of the rump-Convention People's Party (CPP), who has not hesitated to shamelessly spotlight his 7 years of service under the tutelage of President Kufuor and the New Patriotic Party, even while also cynically presuming to impugn the performance and integrity of the latter party and government?"

My answer is simple: One political prostitution does not excuse the other!
Nana Akyea Mensah

nanaakyeamensah.blogspot.com

A Gallery Of CPP Traitors

Samia hits at critics
Myjoyonline: Last Updated: Saturday, 15 November 2008, 14:51 GMT

Samia Nkrumah has denied claims by her opponents that she is being supported by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), describing the allegations as cheap attacks on her person.

Samia, who is the daughter of Ghana’s first President, and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) parliamentary candidate for Jomoro says she is being attacked because other parties consider her a threat to the seat.

According to Ghananewstoday, the parliamentary aspirant said, “I am not surprised that this approach is coming from other parties, particularly the NDC.

People can see that we are serious and we want to make a real difference in their lives, and I believe that’s why I am being attacked in such a cheap manner,” she said.

There are stories making the rounds that Samia is being sponsored by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) because of the oil find in the Jomoro constituency. Some of the stories say the NPP is considering a withdrawal in the parliamentary race in the constituency so she could win.

Samia who barely speaks her native tongue but is making waves in her constituency explained that she is conducting a clean campaign and she has not attacked anybody.

“We are conducting our campaign on the other hand free from personal attacks. I have not said anything against anybody, because that’s not the issue,” she said.

She also contended that “we have no time, we are reaching out to the people, we are going everywhere with our message and people can feel and sense our sincerity and seriousness.”

Samia said she has not criticized anyone in a cheap manner, and wondered why her opponents were attacking her unnecessarily.

She stressed that she is contesting the Jomoro seat because the people of Jomoro have asked her to.

“Nobody has asked me to contest the seat. I have been here since March, the only people who have asked me to contest the seat, are the people of Jomoro,” she said.




Samia Nkrumah has denied claims by her opponents that she is being supported by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), describing the allegations as cheap attacks on her person.

Samia, who is the daughter of Ghana’s first President, and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) parliamentary candidate for Jomoro says she is being attacked because other parties consider her a threat to the seat.

According to Ghananewstoday, the parliamentary aspirant said, “I am not surprised that this approach is coming from other parties, particularly the NDC.

People can see that we are serious and we want to make a real difference in their lives, and I believe that’s why I am being attacked in such a cheap manner,” she said.

There are stories making the rounds that Samia is being sponsored by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) because of the oil find in the Jomoro constituency. Some of the stories say the NPP is considering a withdrawal in the parliamentary race in the constituency so she could win.

Samia who barely speaks her native tongue but is making waves in her constituency explained that she is conducting a clean campaign and she has not attacked anybody.

“We are conducting our campaign on the other hand free from personal attacks. I have not said anything against anybody, because that’s not the issue,” she said.

She also contended that “we have no time, we are reaching out to the people, we are going everywhere with our message and people can feel and sense our sincerity and seriousness.”

Samia said she has not criticized anyone in a cheap manner, and wondered why her opponents were attacking her unnecessarily.

She stressed that she is contesting the Jomoro seat because the people of Jomoro have asked her to.

“Nobody has asked me to contest the seat. I have been here since March, the only people who have asked me to contest the seat, are the people of Jomoro,” she said.