GHANA POLITICAL ROUNDUP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 001822

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GH
SUBJECT: GHANA POLITICAL ROUNDUP


Topics Covered:

-- Ruling NPP Holds Primaries in the North
-- Trade Union Leadership Struggle
-- Professor Mills Predicts End for NPP
-- NPP Poll and Presidential Aspirants
-- Ghanaian Concern About Inaction on 2005 Gambia Murders

NPP Selecting Candidates
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1. (SBU) The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is selecting
Parliamentary Candidates for constituencies in three northern
regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions) ahead of the
2008 general elections. [NOTE: The NPP has been historically weak in
these areas, and does not hold parliamentary seats in these
constituencies. END NOTE]. In some instances, District Chief
Executives and Deputy Regional Ministers are being unanimously
selected by party delegates after what the national party officers
call "interviews." Some observers have criticized this selection
process as neither competitive nor transparent, and have suggested
that some candidates who do not receive a nomination may launch
independent bids.


2. (U) NPP executives have rebutted this criticism, arguing that the
screening and endorsement process is an effective and fair method
for selecting candidates given the number of activists interested in
running. Party officials also claim this approach is appropriate
"given the special circumstances facing the party." In the last
election, the NPP won only two of 13 seats in the Upper East region,
1 of 10 in the Upper West and 8 of 26 in the Northern region.

ICU in Leadership Struggle
--------------


3. (U) On August 20, an Accra Court ordered Napoleon Kpoh, Secretary
General of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) and
Ahmed Y.B. Salifu, National Chairman of the ICU, to step down from
office after a 17 year reign. This decision followed a lengthy power
struggle between Kpoh and the union's Interim Management Committee,
after Kpoh refused to vacate his office at the conclusion of his
elected term. Kpoh's term expired on August 10, but Kpoh and Salifu
failed to convene a congress of ICU members to choose successors.
Kpoh has appealed the court's decision. The ICU remains an
influential Trade Union, but this leadership struggle may weaken the
union.

End in Sight for the Ruling NPP?
--------------


4. (U) Professor John Evans Atta Mills, National Democratic Congress
(NDC) Presidential Candidate, and former Vice President, claimed
August 21 that "the clock is ticking" for the ruling NPP government,
saying that the only way the NPP can win in 2008 is to manipulate
the election's outcome. Mills, who is currently touring the U. S. to
drum up support and money among the Ghanaian diaspora, also said the
ruling party is only interested in pursuing a partisan agenda,
instead of keeping Ghana focused on common goals. Mills claims that
"Ghanaians are tired of the same old bickering and it is time to
move forward." He told his audience that, if elected, his government
would enter into dialogue with all shades of political opinion and
inspire hope in Ghanaians.


5. (U) Mills' trip to the U.S. is but one example of the NDC's
vigorous fundraising activities in Europe and North America to
support its 2008 campaign. Similar engagements by former President
Rawlings across the U.S. are reported to have yielded the NPP USD
700,000 in pledges during August. Mills is one of the better known
names in Ghanaian politics, having contested two previous elections.
In 2004, he received 43% of the vote compared to Kufuor's 52%.
Former FM Announces Candidacy, but trails in NPP POLL
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6. (SBU) Meanwhile, the contest to represent the NPP in the 2008
elections is becoming more heated, with approximately two-dozen
candidates in the current field. On August 28, former Foreign
Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo formally announced his
candidacy, highlighting his qualifications for the job and arguing
that he is the best candidate to "safeguard democracy." On August
29, the President's brother (and former Defense Minister) Addo
Kufuor, announced his own candidacy. However, at this stage Addo
Kufuor does not appear to be among the front runners.


7. (U) Despite much fanfare around Akuffo-Addo's announcement, an
Accra-based local newspaper, the Daily Dispatch, published a poll on
August 28 of 900 Ghanaians in 15 constituencies, showing former
Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen and Vice President Aliu Mahama as the
early favorites for the NPP nomination and Akuffo-Addo well behind
in third place. Several Embassy sources have cautioned against
reading too much into Kyerematen's early lead, saying that much time
remains before the election.


ACCRA 00001822 002 OF 002


The results follow:

Alan Kyerematen - 16.5%
Alhaji Aliu Mahama - 16%
Hackman Owusu-Agyeman - 10.9%
Nana Akufo-Addo - 10.9%
Dan Botwe -7.6 %
Frimpong Boateng - 6.7 %
Mike Oquaye -6.3 %
Osafo Maafo-5.6 %
Papa Owusu Ankomah -4 %
Addo Kufuor - 2.3 %
Owusu Agyepong -2 %
Kofi Apraku -1.7 %
Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey -1.2 %

Murder of Ghanaians generates new public interest
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8. (U) Civil society groups and prominent individuals have expressed
deep disappointment with the GOG's delay in resolving the murder of
eight Ghanaians and forty-four other West African nationals in the
Gambia in 2005 while they were en route to Europe through Senegal.
Following renewed public interest and media criticism, the MFA
announced that a seven-member government delegation departed Accra
for the Gambia on August 24 as part of the continuing investigations
into this incident.


9. (U) Despite numerous delegations to the Gambia, little has been
learned about the fate of these individuals. The state owned
"Ghanaian Times", quoting Ghana Police sources, recently claimed
that the order for the Ghanaians' execution came from Gambian
President Yahya Jammeh since he was led to believe that the
Ghanaians in question were dissidents preparing to overthrow his
regime. President Jammeh did not attend the recent African Union
summit in Accra and some Ghanaian observers attributed his absence
to the controversy over the Ghanaian deaths. A final report on the
incident should be issued in September, according to government
sources.

BRIDGEWATER