With 9 days for Ghanaians
to decide who leads them in the next four years, the news media on Friday, 25th
November, 2016 were dominated by the following headlines:
The Daily Guide has the headline “6 ballot boxes missing”. According to
the story the Western Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says it
suspects foul play after six ballot boxes of the Electoral Commission (EC) fell
off a truck conveying them to Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency. They were meant to be
used for the December 7 polls in the constituency. The NPP claimed there could
be dire consequences if the six ballot boxes get into the wrong hands on
Wednesday, December 7, general elections.
The New Crusading Guide with the caption “Ballot boxes missing … Police
investigations underway”. The paper states that, the Electoral
Commission (EC) has confirmed that six (6) ballot boxes have gone missing after
they allegedly fell off a pickup truck and that the Ghana Police is investigating
the circumstances surrounding the issue. In a post on its official Facebook
page, the EC stated that, “for the six empty boxes that fell off the pickup
truck in the Western Region, a report has been made to the police. They will be
replaced before by the Commission before election day”.
The Daily Statesman also carries the headline “BNI tells Mahama: People are
voting for change … Ephson’s real poll puts Nana 8% ahead of Mahama, but…”.
The Daily Statesman can report that the outcome of the latest research
conducted by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) on the upcoming
presidential and parliamentary elections predicts a one-touch victory for Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, with
a clear NPP majority in parliament. This latest BNI survey is consistent with
an earlier one they did, except the high number of undecided voters in the
earlier one has dropped considerably.
Daily
Post
“Top
IEA/NPP man predicts win for President Mahama”. According to the story Dr.
Ransford Gyampo a senior lecturer at the Political Science Department of the University
of Ghana, Legon has asserted that President Mahama will win the forthcoming
elections. Dr. Gyampo says his prediction is based on the facts that firstly the NDC knows how to win elections, secondly, that it goes
without saying the main opposition
party , the NPP cannot
win the elections
with Akufo-Addo as their flagbearer. The University
don who is also a Research Fellow
with the pro-NPP think–tank, Institute of Economic Affair (IEA) and a self–confessed sympathizer of the NPP
made these assertion while
having a no-holds barred conversation with a friend.
The Daily Graphic also has the caption “NDP launches manifesto”. The National Democratic
Party (NDP) has launched its
manifesto in Drobo in the Jaman South District in the
Brong Ahafo Region amid joy and
goodwill from the chiefs, people and the supporters of the party in the area. The manifesto launch drew
residents of Drobo, Japekrom and
adjoining towns as well as the
Mmratehene of the area, Nana
Asafoakye John Kwadwo Sekyere, to
the durbar grounds.
The Enquirer has the headline “We’re prepared for the worst – Military assures”.
The Chief of Defense Staff, Air Marshall Samson-Oje has issued a stern warning
at a media encounter in Accra last Friday. The military capo said the military
is fully prepared and on standby with the sister civilian security agencies,
especially the police, to counter any group of persons who tend to use the
elections as a ground to breach the nation’s peace.
The Ghanaian Times also carries the headline “127,394 for special voting on
December 1” The paper reports
that, a total of 127,394 people are expected to cast their vote in 275
constituencies in the special voting exercise on Thursday, December 1. They
comprise security personnel, journalist and officials of the electoral
Commission (EC). Deputy Chairman of EC in charge of operations, Alhaji Amadu
Sulley, told The Ghanaian Times in an interview yesterday after an Inter Party
Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra.
“Special voting list shores up by 13,000 new names” is the headline
in Today. According to the story at
least 13,000 new names have been added to the special voters list, Electoral
commission (EC) has confirmed. Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations, Sulley
Amadu, said the new figures was now hovering around 127,934 voters, up from
114,813 list of special voters announced earlier. The new list includes 500 new
recruits who just passed out, Amadu added. Speaking on Joy FM’s news analysis
program-newsfile, Saturday November 26, Mr. Amadu allayed fears that the EC
will provide the political parties the new list of voters before the special
voting day.
We conclude today’s
newspaper review with the headline in Today
“Greenstreet
blasts Mahama”. According to the story Presidential nominee of the
convention people’s party (CPP), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, has criticized
President John Dramani for flying a helicopter when he toured the Upper West
Region. He questioned why the president flew instead of driving on the
deplorable roads in the region he failed to fix. The CPP presidential nominee
who was in Sakai in the Sissala East and Pulima in the Sissala West
constituencies as part of his campaign tour of the Upper West region lashed out
at the president for reneging on his promises. “I am surprised about the state
of the roads, why did the president fail to drive to witness the bad roads
here; why did he come to Tumu in a helicopter instead of travelling on the bad
roads he promised to fix in 2012? “ he fumed.
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