GHANA'S NATIONAL REFORM PARTY: PROMOTING REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 001930

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2014
TAGS: PGOV GH
SUBJECT: GHANA'S NATIONAL REFORM PARTY: PROMOTING REFORM
BUT TOO SMALL TO BE RELEVANT

REF: 00ACCRA7799

Classified By: Charge Jerry Lanier for reasons 1.5 d and e.


1. (C) Summary: On September 21, Charge and poloffs met
with leaders of the National Reform Party (NRP). A minor
party with no presidential candidate in the December
elections, the NRP is contesting in ten parliamentary seats
and hopes its anti-corruption/good grassroots governance
message will influence the political debate. The NRP
predicts the eventual decline and break-up of whichever major
party loses the election. They hope the USG can help
convince Ghanaian President Kufuor not to exaggerate security
concerns in the election and can bolster the efforts of the
Election Commission. End summary.


2. (C) On September 21, Charge and poloffs hosted a lunch
for National Reform Party (NRP) leader Augustus "Goosie"
Tanoh and several other NRP officials to discuss the December
election and the NRP's political views. Charge noted that we
were meeting with all the political parties, as well as the
Election Commission and others, to reinforce our hope for a
free and fair election in Ghana and to explore what useful
role the USG might play in the process.

Background
--------------


3. (SBU) The NRP was founded in 2000 by a break-away group
from National Democratic Congress (NDC). The NRP got only
about one percent of the vote in the 2000 national elections
and won no seats in parliament. However, observers believe
its participation in the election cost the NDC fifteen
parliamentary seats, ultimately benefiting the National
Patriotic Party (NPP) and some independent candidates. At a
September 2004 Delegate Congress, the NRP decided that
because of its severe financial difficulties it would not
field a presidential candidate in 2004, although it would
support some parliamentary candidates. Goosie Tanoh, the
NRP's presidential candidate in 2000, is a former lawyer and
DCM in the Ghanaian Mission to the United Nations and now
runs a food exporting company.

NRP Sitting Out This Election
--------------


4. (C) Tanoh told Charge the NRP would field ten
parliamentary candidates but would stay out of the
presidential race and avoid choosing between the NDC and NPP.
The NRP was in a "lifetime pursuit" of better governance in
Ghana, stressing greater community involvement, devolution of
power, and improved public accountability. The NRP seeks a
greater policy role for local district assemblies, the direct
election of district chief executives, and increased capacity
building and resource devolution at local levels. Tanoh and
his colleagues highlighted inadequacies and corruption in
education and health. He said the party was still developing
its manifesto, although it would not change significantly
from its left-of-center 2000 election manifesto.

A Make or Break Election
--------------


5. (C) Tanoh opined that the 2004 election would be close
and peaceful. He dismissed concerns raised by some in the
NPP that the NDC was recruiting foreign mercenaries to
disrupt the upcoming elections. This was unfounded
fear-mongering by Ghanaian security forces seeking to bolster
their own importance, Tanoh said. Nonetheless, he predicted
a major post-election realignment. Both the NPP and NDC are
split by strong internal divisions which are being suppressed
for the election campaign, he said. Some in the NDC see
presidential candidate John Evans Atta Mills as an outsider
and some have a strong dislike for former president J.J.
Rawlings. Elements in the NPP dislike its candidate,
President John Kufuor, and foresee a succession crisis when
he leaves the political stage. Whichever party loses this
election will "begin a long tailspin of disintegration",
according to Tanoh. With so much at stake, corruption is
rampant in both camps - individuals are paying large sums to
get party tickets, businesses are being squeezed for funds,
and voters are being wooed with money and contracts, Tanoh
alleged.

What the USG Can Do?
--------------


6. (C) Charge asked Tanoh what useful role he thought the
USG and other foreign governments can play in the upcoming
elections. Tanoh hoped the USG could help convince President
Kufuor not to exaggerate securty concerns in this election.
He urged moral supprt for the Election Commission, which he
criticied as "very laid back" about election-related
prblems. USG and other foreign obsrvers would help lend


credibility to the election process, especially if the
results are close.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Without a single parliamentary seat and unable to
forge an alliance with other small parties, the NRP is at
present a minor force in Ghanaian politics. As reported
reftel, in a lunch former US Ambassador Robinson hosted for
Tanoh before the 2000 election, the candidate was brimming
with confidence and outlined a clear stance on a range of
economic and social issues. This week he was low-key and
cynical. He had difficulty describing the NRP's plank and
appeared to lack hands-on knowledge about party activities.
He complained about politically-motivated efforts by the NPP
to undermine his business interests. He and his colleagues
appear to be waiting on the sidelines of Ghanaian politics to
play a more prominent role when, in their estimation, the two
major parties eventually collapse. In our view, neither the
NPP nor the NDC appear on a path toward disintegration any
time soon.
LANIER


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