PASTORAL LETTER ON ELECTIONS 2012
FROM THE GHANA CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE.
Peace of Christ be with you !
PREAMBLE
It has become necessary for us as Shepherds, to issue this pastoral letter in which we share with you some Christian insights with regard to a credible electoral process for a responsible and accountable leadership. In the current pastoral letter, we want to continue to offer guidance to all peace loving Ghanaians as we come towards elections 2012. The Church’s obligation to teach about moral values that should shape our lives, including our public lives, is central to its mission and would not be compromised.
We therefore send you this pastoral letter in furtherance of our obligation as Church.
GHANA’S IMAGE
Ghana is perceived as a functional African democracy and a model stable state, having successfully managed five consecutive and smooth general elections and political transitions – 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 – the last being 2008. Very soon, Ghana will go to the polls once again to test the health of our fledgling democracy. While admitting the fact that successive elections have always been an improvement on previous ones, and that Ghana is gradually becoming adept at credible elections and transitions, we wish also to state that emerging challenges in the current political environment are beginning to undermine our confidence. We cannot overlook the various incidents of seizure and destruction of ballot boxes, assault on security agents and electoral officials, intemperate language and physical attacks on political opponents which occurred during the last elections and have characterized our political discourse lately.
This letter is to remind all well meaning Ghanaians that we have only one country – Ghana; we should all be proud to be Ghanaians and contribute our quota in making Ghana a better place for ourselves and posterity. There is no doubt that the introduction of the Biometric Registration and Voting System would significantly enhance this electoral process. However, due diligence requires that we all accept to assume responsibility for a decent and transparent election by safeguarding the process. As we get closer to the December Elections, we urge all to THINK GHANA FIRST. Our forebears sacrificed to bring our country to this position. It is now our turn. The unity and stability of Ghana should be paramount in all we do. We owe it to ourselves and to posterity to safeguard the electoral process for the peace and stability of our dear country Ghana.
GOVERNMENT
We commend the government for ensuring the peace and stability of the country. We would urge the government to continue creating a social, political and economic climate that would inevitably enhance the integrity and credibility of the whole electoral process. Government should also make available the necessary resources to enable relevant agencies carry out their mandate. All Ghanaians are looking forward to free fair and peaceful elections. We have no doubt that like previous governments who played their roles, the current administration will live up to expectation and assist in ensuring a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
TO OUR FELLOW CHRISTIANS AND ALL GHANAIANS
The Church encourages individual Christians to make their own decisions as to which party comes closest to the Christian ethos and offers them hope. Citizens have a right to join any political party of their choice, become more involved in political life, running for office, working within political parties and communicating concerns to the elected officials. In addition, voting should be guided more by one’s moral convictions than by one’s attachment to a political party or interest group. Christian voters are encouraged to be more discerning and objective in their analysis of socio-economic issues and should use for instance, the Catholic Social Teaching, to examine the views of the candidates on pertinent issues considering the candidates’ integrity and their past and potential performance.
The Church has been consistent in respecting each individual’s decision and this reality is evident in all our congregations which are composed of members from all existing political parties. However, within the party of their choice, Christians must act as “salt”, “leaven” and “light” (see Mt. 5:13 – 14 and 13:33), leading in positive examples that would enhance our democracy. There must be a firm commitment to justice and solidarity by each member. We recognize that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual in the light of a properly formed conscience, and that participation goes well beyond casting a vote in a particular election. It is unfortunate that Ghanaians become relevant once again only because of impending elections. This is partially because most citizens do not see themselves as having a role to play and the representatives are seemingly happy to keep it that way. We urge all citizens especially Christians to be interested in issues that affect them – choice of representation, evaluation of their effort, holding these representatives accountable at all times, encouraging them or constructively criticizing them when necessary. Participation is a duty to be fulfilled conscientiously by all, with responsibility and with the view to the common good. Participation means that citizens must be informed, heard and involved in all relevant processes of governance. We therefore urge all Ghanaians to see themselves as key stakeholders in the impending elections.
THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
We continue by stating that the electoral system is one of the pillars of parliamentary democratic representation. Elections and their management have become key criteria for evaluating the extent to which a country has adopted the ethos and practice of democracy. Furthermore, the electoral process provides an opportunity for the choice and installation of governments and the transfer of power in peaceful circumstances. In other words, a free, fair and transparent electoral system is the vehicle that gives expression to the will of the people.
One of the most important institutions in the realization of this goal is the Electoral Commission (EC). It therefore becomes vital that the Electoral Commission should inspire confidence and protect the integrity of the process in the delivery of free, fair and transparent elections. While commending our EC for its enviable record so far, we would want to caution against complacency and arbitrariness in the management of Election 2012. An open and transparent environment ought to be created to win the support of all especially the political parties who have a direct interest in the process. In the interest of the country, we call on all to support the EC and avoid pronouncements and/or actions that seek to undermine the integrity of the EC. We call on all to respect and cooperate with the EC in delivering free, fair and transparent elections. It is in our own interest to use legitimate processes to address all electoral grievances.
MEDIA
Our dear country has come a long way in terms of the development of a vibrant media environment. We would want to reiterate our call on both State and independent media to continue to fulfill their educative and informative roles in society. Press freedom comes with a responsibility and is to be safeguarded in the interest of promoting the common good and the human rights enshrined in our 1992 Constitution. The media should serve all sections of the society. We wish to associate ourselves with the Political Parties Code of Conduct – 2012, which states that “There shall be equal access to State Media, and no political party in power shall prevent the State-owned electronic and print media from giving equal access to the other political parties as a way of dominating the media to the detriment of all others” (Political Parties Code of Conduct – 2012, Pg. 4 ?5). We therefore make the call to all media houses especially State-owned media houses to ensure fair access and reportage for all contesting parties. We challenge you the media to be cultured, ethical and absolutely fair in your reporting of events before, during and after the elections. Furthermore, we all need to be men and women of peace in our thinking, pronouncements and actions in order to be able to promote peace. The media therefore has a role to play in ensuring a credible election. By ensuring this, the media would be contributing to the selection of a responsible and accountable leadership for our dear country.
BEFORE ELECTIONS
The environment before elections is critical and must be conducive to free and fair elections. Political parties should stop being provocative in their campaign posture and language. All campaigns, therefore, should be peaceful and respectful of other parties, while challenging different opinions on various issues. All Political parties should be free to campaign and have equal access to State resources in the form of media coverage, police protection, etc. Civil servants, in particular, are not party cadres and must render the all-important and impartial civil service to all throughout the elections to ensure free and fair elections. Once again, the Political Parties Code of Conduct – 2012 is emphatic that “Political Parties, Candidates, Agents and party workers shall not obstruct, disrupt, break up or cause to be broken up, meetings or rallies organized by other political parties and candidates; nor shall they interrupt or prevent speeches and the distribution of handbills or leaflets, and the posting of posters by other parties and candidates” (Pg.5 ?2).
People should be free to attend party meetings and rallies of their choice. To promote informed choices, all those organizations concerned with civic education should team up to educate people about their civic and electoral rights. It is healthy for citizens to hold different political opinions and engage in rational discourse, while all the time respecting each other’s dignity. Human dignity has its rooting in the dignity of God and must not be violated (Gen. 1:26-27). We therefore call for a high sense of tolerance among members of different political persuasions. Acts of violence can only worsen our situation. Let us challenge ourselves to a high sense of civility.
DURING ELECTIONS
As your Shepherds, we encourage all registered voters to vote, and in an atmosphere of peace. To decide not to vote is to neglect your duty and run the risk of leaving others to decide your future for you. Participation in political life in the light of fundamental moral principles is an essential duty of every Christian and all people of good will. Please make sure you vote.
We appeal to the EC to ensure that all relevant resources are deployed for the elections. Furthermore, we call on the EC to undertake still diligent checks into the background of prospective electoral officers who would be selected to supervise the various polling stations to avoid situations where they could easily be compromised. Unnecessary delays or late delivery of human and material resources for the elections creating queues and frustrations should be avoided at all cost. We need to guard against Electoral Officials being compromised and deliberately causing malfunctioning of gadgets. All agents and officials should see themselves as called by God with moral conscience to contribute in building Ghana up as a nation and guaranteeing its peace.
Political Parties and Candidates must discourage members and supporters from engaging in multiple voting, voting in the name of deceased and absent voters as well as voting by minors and non-citizens. Please desist from bribing or influencing officials and agents at polling stations, because these constitute potential troubles that threaten free, fair and transparent elections and the country’s stability.
To our security agencies, we say bravo for your past performance. We hope that this has strengthened you for the task ahead. We would urge you to discharge your duty with dispatch, and again without fear or favour. We are very hopeful that you are well prepared and equipped to deal with the menace of ‘machomen’ and thugs who terrorize voters and create tension and an atmosphere of intimidation on polling day. We would equally encourage you to demonstrate a high sense of professionalism and neutrality by respecting the rights and dignity of all Ghanaian citizens in the discharge of your duties.
Observers and Monitors, both local and foreign, help to create a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere. We would urge all those responsible for them to ensure that they are not in any way restricted, nor confined to the big cities but be also deployed into the hinterland where they can experience the exercise of participation in governance by the citizens of this country.
AFTER ELECTIONS
We urge all Political Party Leaders to exhibit a high sense of statesmanship by undertaking to accept election results declared by the EC. Be magnanimous in victory and gracious in defeat. Losing candidates and parties in a free and fair election should not find it difficult to concede or accept defeat. Good losers are peacemakers. Good losers also command respect. Invariably, losing parties become the minority in Parliament to serve as a check for government policies and performance through constructive criticism. Both minority and government should have one common aim, which is the realization of the common good of Ghanaians and therefore respect the declaration by the EC.
Political Parties, as well as media houses should desist from declaring rival results at any given moment. The EC is the only constitutional body mandated to declare official results of elections. Let us all respect that. In addition, we call on political parties to restrain their membership from reacting violently to election results and instead use due process of the law to address grievances.
All citizens and various institutions and organizations should, in the spirit of social solidarity help government and minority parties by making their own contributions to national growth and development. After the official declaration of results, we urge all to continue in the spirit of togetherness to join forces to build Mother Ghana. We appeal to all citizens to adopt a spirit of oneness and solidarity. “Solidarity helps to see the ‘other …’ not as some kind of instrument … to be exploited… and then discarded, but as our neighbour to be made a sharer with ourselves in the banquet of life to which all are equally invited by God” (Solicitudo Rei Socialis/On social concerns, 39).
CONCLUSION
We have written this letter to you at a time we are preparing for elections on December 7, 2012. As a nation, we all belong to one family of God who loves and cares for each one of us and we also share a common destiny. Let us turn to our God in fervent prayer as we prepare for the forthcoming elections. The psalmist reminds us: “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labour; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil” (Ps 127:1). It is only when power stands under God’s blessing that it can be trusted.
Let us support the process with our prayers and may the leaders we choose lead us in Godly ways. Jesus said, “I came so that they may have life and have it to the full” (Jn.10:10). May the free, fair and transparent electoral exercise constitute a win for Jesus, leading to love not hatred, life not death, justice not oppression, peace not violence and prosperity not poverty, for our dear nation! We, therefore, invite all to pray for our leaders and would-be leaders that they may adopt Christ-like leadership, one that is God-fearing and respects human dignity. May the electoral process of 2012 build us up as a nation, establish us in God’s peace and continue to make Ghana the beacon of hope to our dear continent of Africa.
In support of this our prayer wish, we, your Shepherds, are asking that Holy Mass and prayers of the Holy Rosary be offered for peaceful elections in Ghana, most especially on Saturday, December 01, 2012 at all our Marian Shrines and parish Churches and outstations through the ensuing week until Saturday, December 08, Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. May Mary our Lady Queen of Peace intercede for Ghana to her Son our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace himself! Amen!
God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong!