The general election in Ghana

Ghana enjoys its reputation as the success story of Africa, and a part of that success depends on the continuation of a peaceful election process.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Ghana on 7 December 2012. All 230 Parliamentary seats are contested.  Presidential elections will also be held on 7 December 2012, with a run-off on 28 December, if necessary. Ghanaian elections have been peaceful since 1992 when Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, elected President, but formerly leader of several successful military coups, established the Fourth Republic and a new constitution, and the expectations are that 2012 will continue this established practice. There was a peaceful transfer of power in July of this year following the untimely death of  President John Atta Mills while in office which prompted a period of national mourning.  A further death, of a former Vice President two weeks ago triggered further united outpourings of grief and respect for a politician.

Opinion polls saying the result is too close to call at present- predicting the two main parties (the incumbent NDC and opposition NPP) will each draw about 1/3^rd of all votes with the other parties picking up the remainder. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a liberal democratic and liberal conservative party, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a social democratic party.

Following the discovery of oil in 2007, the late President Mills presided over Ghana's first oil production in late 2010. He transformed Ghana into one of the fastest growing economies in the world in 2011, growing by a record-breaking 13.4 per cent last year, and with inflation falling from to 8.5%, the lowest seen in Ghana for 42 years.

During his term of office, President Mills though widely accused by his opponent for corruption, inefficiency causing economic retardation, adopted tight fiscal and monetary policies to reverse the large twin deficits his government inherited.  

Following the discovery of oil off the coast of Ghana in 2008, the policies of the next president will determine whether the country's petro-dollars will be used for the common good or disappear as in other oil-rich countries.

Though the campaign is intensifying, the political parties, some NGOs and the religious leaders are all calling for peace and calm during and after the elections.

Main campaigning issues are: the economy, primary and secondary education, health care, sanitation, roads and homes.

Locally, election rallies involve loud music, and the townspeople gathering on the large centrally located soccer pitch, where they will wait for hours before a candidate appears to address the crowd. Meantime, T shirts, bracelets, flags and similar items bearing party colours and logos are distributed and worn, while the younger men drive up and down the main high street on motorbikes or crammed into the back of electioneering jeeps and trucks.

Election poster for the NDC- urging double vote for local parliamentary and presidential candidates.
Politicians worry about voters splitting their support- the so-called "skirt and blouse" option.