Enforcement Bodies

Background

The idea of a Code of Conduct for Political Parties in Ghana was first mooted by the country’s Electoral Commission in 2000. However, since then, the Code of Conduct has suffered from limitations that have prevented it from being an effective moderator of political party activities during election time. Most recently, the criticism of the Code of Conduct has been that is has lacked ‘teeth’. To address this, representatives of the Political Parties met in August 2011 to revise the Code. The revised Code was launched in Tamale. A copy of the 2012 Code of Conduct is available here.

The 2012 Enforcement Bodies

Significantly, the revised Code of Conduct called for the creation and activation of Enforcement Bodies at the National and Regional Levels. Accordingly, in 2012 with the support of STAR Ghana and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, The IEA will be facilitating the establishment and operation of one National and 10 Regional Enforcement Bodies. The overall goal of the Enforcement Bodies is to ensure that the political Parties and their supporters behave in the manner that is expected of them as enshrined in the code.

The role of the Regional Enforcement Bodies will be to move around the region to monitor the campaigns, rallies and other activities of the Political Parties.  They will investigate allegations of breached of the Code, prepare reports and submit them to the National Enforcement Body for consideration and action.

The National Enforcement Body will be required to investigate all reports received from the regions and to sanction those in breach of the Code. Sanctions may be issued in the form of reprimands, undertakings from offending parties not to repeat the offence committed among others. The National Body may in some circumstances publish the findings of its investigations and where necessary, alert the Security Agencies and other appropriate State institutions for further action to be taken. These findings will be publicized in the form of Press Release and Press Briefings.

Reflecting its important role, the National Enforcement Body is made up of a number of pre-eminent Ghanaians from a broad range of backgrounds. The 2012 National Enforcement Body consists of:

• Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council (Chairman of the Body)

• Mr. Ransford Tetteh, President, Ghana Journalist Association

• Justice Emile Short, Former Commissioner CHRAJ

• Mr. David Kangah, Deputy Chairman, The Electoral Commission

• Ameer Dr. Maulvi Wahab Adam, Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission

• Fr. Patrick M. Amos, National Catholic Secretariat

• Mr. Paul Manly Awini, Director of Operations, Ghana Police

• Mrs. Augustina Akumanyi, Deputy Chairperson, National Commission for Civic Education

• Mrs. Hilary Gbedemah, Rector, Law Institute of Ghana

• Mr. Abdulai Fulamba, National Patriotic Party

• Mr.  Kwame Jantuah, Convention People’s Party

• Mr. Danny Annan, National Democratic Congress

• Mr. Atik Mohammed, People’s National Convention

Press releases from the National Enforcement Body

• The National Enforcement Body calls on the NDC and NPP to abide by terms of the Political Parties Code of Conduct in the biometric registration process, 16 April 2012.

• National Enforcement Body calls on political parties to reject comments that incite violence, 20 April 2012.

• National Enforcement Body commends the Political Parties for adhering to the 2012 Political Parties Code of Conduct during Biometric Registration Exercise.

• National Enforcement Body commends Ghanaian's and all Political Parties for smooth transition of power following the untimely death of H.E. President John Evans Attah-Mills.