UPP Urges Action To Stop Breaches Of Political Parties� Law

The Electoral Commission (EC) has been asked to act decisively to deal with breaches of the political parties� law by applying appropriate sanctions against any offending party. The United People�s Party (UPP) in a press statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Razak Kojo Opoku, said the whip must be cracked on �moribund parties, which only make noises during an election year and then go to sleep�. It expressed disquiet about the situation where many of the registered political parties did not even have national offices, let alone regional and constituency offices. Equally disturbing, it said, were instances where these were also managed by a handful of people. The statement pointed out that it was time the EC insisted on strict compliance of the regulations in respect of democratic practice and internal contest. The UPP did not only welcome but gave high marks to the EC chairperson, Mrs. Charlotte Osei, for serving notice to parties that had shown disregard for the rules, that they would no longer be allowed to have their way. It urged the Commission to �walk the talk� and withdraw the registration of any party that failed to satisfy the requirements of the law. "Ghana�s young multi-party democracy needed very serious political parties to help contribute to efforts at building the nation and to offer responsible opposition to the party in government � providing alternative solutions to the numerous socio-economic challenges facing the country," the statement said. The party again suggested to the EC to exclude political parties without representation in parliament from participating in the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings. It said the nation deserved some level of sanity and discipline in its political discourse and the expectation was that the Commission would provide the necessary leadership and clean up the system.