2013: A Year Of Corruption Scandals And Economic Hardship

As the year ends, people reflect on the happenings of the preceding 365 days and make resolutions for the coming year. New Year’s Eve also happens to be the day that people review and remember what happened in the country during the year. 2013 has been very eventful and would therefore be worth recounting.

The year begun with discussions regarding the presidential election petition filed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to challenge the legitimacy of the declaration of John Dramani Mahama as President of the Republic. This was the very first time such a petition had been lodged with the Supreme Court. Lawyers and students of the law were excited about the petition whilst the judges, empanelled to determine the petition, were clueless about how to go about it. The rules passed to guide them were abandoned in certain instances. For example, the strict adherence to time and insistence on electronic filing were completely ignored in the name of “justice”. They made their “own” rules as the case progressed.

For the first time, and after many calls for Ghana to be in tune with the rest of the world by allowing television cameras in the court room for such an important case, the presidential election petition was broadcast live on national television. Ghanaians in every corner watched closely and keenly as the evidence was presented, and as it became clear that the elections were conducted so badly and poorly that there was no way any of the two leading candidates could have been declared winner or loser.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Electoral Commission and the Mahama Administration was retained to steer the affairs of the nation until 2016. Recently, some members of the Mahama Administration have blamed the economic hardship in 2013 on the presidential election petition, which lasted for 8 months. One thing is clear from their position. They admit that there was economic hardship in 2013. With all the various corruption scandals that came to light during the year, and certain policy decisions taken by the Mahama Administration, it is difficult to see how any reasonable person can come to the conclusion that the Mahama Administration failed to deliver its promises in 2013 and rather made life so difficult because of the petition.

This is why I think the blame game from the Mahama Administration is completely illogical and without any basis.

Asiedu Nketia calls for international media coverage of election petition case | Politics

General Secretary of the ruling NDC, Asiedu Nketia has called for international media coverage of the historic election petition hearing by the Supreme Court. This he said is to enable Ghanaians living outside the country to be reliably informed about the Court proceedings.

He spoke to the media shortly after the Supreme Court had adjourned proceedings to Wednesday.

The General Secretary noted he was happy “that the Court has now taken a decision to reverse their earlier decision [not] to allow television coverage”.

He however noted it was important to go beyond national coverage by local Television Stations to include an international audience.

“We are insisting that other television stations from outside Ghana; CNN Al-Jazeera and BBC to come on board so that proceedings can be telecast live for our citizens outside Ghana” he emphasised.

In reaction to a demonstration organised by some Ghanaians in the United Kingdom, he said “we take notice that some citizens of Ghana have been misled to embark on demonstration in Europe and America”.

The General Secretary believed that live telecast of the Supreme Court proceedings by international media will help correct misconceptions some Ghanaians outside the country hold.

via Asiedu Nketia calls for international media coverage of election petition case | Politics.