AF/W DIRECTOR DOUGHERTY MEETS NPP CANDIDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 000690

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/FO AND AF/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2028
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON SNAR GH
SUBJECT: AF/W DIRECTOR DOUGHERTY MEETS NPP CANDIDATE
AKUFO-ADDO, ELECTORAL COMMISSION, AND CPP LEADERSHIP

REF: A. ACCRA 627

B. ACCRA 623

C. ACCRA 618

D. ACCRA 617

E. ACCRA 612

F. ACCRA 605

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sue K. Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d)


1. (SBU) Summary: On May 20 New Patriotic Party (NPP)
presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo told visiting AF/W
Director Thomas Dougherty that he was optimistic about his
party's chances in the December election. While acknowledging
problems with inflation, corruption and narcotics, Akufo-Addo
lauded the NPP's handling of the economy. Regarding the
Electoral Commission (EC),Akufo-Addo claimed that the
evidence does not support "bloated" voter rolls, and said
that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was
aware of this. In a later meeting, officials of the EC denied
that the Ashanti registers were inflated, and said that the
parties understood this. However, the opposition Convention
People's Party (CPP) echoed NDC concerns (reported Septel)
over allegedly inflated Ashanti voter registers, the
government's failure to adequately fund the EC, and delays in
voter registration. End Comment.

Meeting with NPP Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo
-------------- --------------


2. (C) On May 20 visiting AF/W Director Thomas Dougherty,
accompanied by POLOFF, met with NPP presidential candidate
Nana Akufo-Addo. Akufo-Addo provided an overview of the
upcoming election and the political situation in Ghana.
Akufo-Addo said Ghanaians were united in a desire for a
democratic future for the country, and expressed confidence
in his party's chances for election, predicting that a
run-off would not be necessary. He also expressed confidence
that the elections would happen without serious problem, and
chided his NDC opponents for pursuing an "Odinga strategy,"
whereby the opposition, prior to the election, calls into
question the legitimacy of the electoral process. The NDC, he
noted, was still trying to "stigmatize" the 2004 election. He
cited accusations of inflated voting rolls in the Ashanti
Region, the heartland of NPP support. He claimed that the
EC's data does not support any evidence of irregularities or
additional names being added to the voter rolls. (NOTE:
Despite Akufo-Addo's claims, the EC has acknowledged that the
data showing 100% increases in 13 Ashanti constituencies came
from within the EC. END NOTE). Akuffo-Addo said that NDC
concerns about the EC have not received much popular support
to date, showing the futility of their efforts. He supports
funding the EC at the necessary level, but noted the EC
needed to say what additional support was necessary. Asked
about delays in the voter registration process, he replied
that a new date to begin the process had been set for June.

Narcotics and Foreign Affairs
--------------

3, (C) Akufo-Addo admitted that corruption and drug
trafficking were problems in Ghana, saying that trafficking
began under former NDC President Rawlings. He said that cases
of corruption exist, and resulted from weaknesses in the
system for accountability, such as the need for more
prosecutors. He noted that as Attorney General he initiated
the Ghana Police Service's Serious Crimes Unit. He described
the growth in the narcotics trade as a "canker"
and that while penetration into Ghana was still limited, it
was an issue that could not be taken for granted. Ghana's
institutional capacity to fight trafficking was limited,
according to Akufo-Addo, who noted limits on the country's
ability to patrol its borders. He added that further
assistance from donors, including the U.S., would be needed.


4. (C) Akufo-Addo said Ghana's relations with the United
States were important, and he welcomed what he described as a
growing official engagement by the U.S. in West Africa. He
said most Ghanaians were pro-American, and noted that
President Bush received a strong reception in the
country--"Iraq is a long ways away," he added. As Ghana
progresses he expects that Ghanaians will adopt a more
nationalist tone, a reflection of more national
self-confidence. On foreign policy, Akufo-Addo said that
there would be no real change in focus if he was elected.
Ghana would continue to remain engaged in Africa and
participate in UN and AU sanctioned peacekeeping operations.
He said that he was "more a pan-Africanist" than President
Kufour. On Zimbabwe, he noted that Secretary Rice was willing

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to speak out, but that African foreign ministers were
reticient.

Meeting with the Electoral Commission
--------------


5. (SBU) Later on May 20 AF/W Director Dougherty and POLOFF
met with Electoral Commission (EC) Deputy Commissioner Safo
Katanka and Director of Information Technology, Hubert
Akumiah. Concerning reports of inflated voter lists in the
Ashanti region, Katanka said that "the register is not
bloated," and that all of the political parties understood
this to be the case. Akumiah added that some statistics had
been mis-applied, and that someone had seen the figures and
drawn the wrong conclusion. As each registered voter is photo
identified, Katanka explained, it is possible to determine if
a voter has been registered twice. He said that a committee
formed through the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC)
would report and explain the situation to the public.


6. (SBU) Regarding delays in the voter registration process,
Katanga explained that the process was delayed due to the
need to obtain digital cameras and computer equipment, which
he said would be in place by June. Katanka replied that the
exercise will be completed in time for the parties to review
the register for accuracy, and he gave September as a date
for completion. He explained that the registration exercise
will update the rolls, rather than provide a complete new
register, will be done on a nation-wide basis, and not in
stages, by geographic zones. The EC had proposed the zone
idea earlier, but it was opposed by the parties, who feared
opportunities for abuse. Katanka explained that the rolls
were not updated last year, for budget reasons, but were
previously updated in 2006 prior to local government
elections. When asked whether the EC had adequate funding for
the electoral process. Katanka noted that the EC Chairman had
said there was adequate funding at this time, and then
Kantanka inquired whether the U.S. had funds available.

Meeting with the Convention People's Party
--------------


7. (SBU) Dougherty and POL Chief met later on May 20 with the
leadership of the Convention People's Party (CPP),including
Chairman Ladi Nylander, General Secretary Ivor Greenstreet,
Public Affairs Secretary Kwesei Duduy, and National Women's
Organizer Hajia Hamdatu Haruna. (NOTE: CPP Presidential
candidate Paa Kwesei Nduom is currently traveling in the
United States. END NOTE).

CPP Platform
--------------


8. (SBU) Nylander provided a brief background on the CPP,
noting that it is Ghana's oldest political party, and that
the CPP was experiencing "a rejuvenation" with an all-new
leadership team. The party's vision is to support the common
man, social justice, freedom, job creation, development of
civil society, and reducing the gap between rich and poor.
He said people in all regions of Ghana need development,
including increased manufacturing jobs. Nylander added that
the CPP would encourage strong foreign direct investment in
Ghana, and is keen to support women's empowerment, the rural
poor, and greater decentralization. It also would continue
to pursue a strong relationship with the U.S., and added that
the CPP would also have fighting corruption and narcotics as
top priorities.

Criticism of Election Preparations
--------------


9. (SBU) Regarding the upcoming election, Nylander said the
country must strive for a "higher standard of transparency,"
and said the CPP is eager to see the voter registers as soon
as possible. He worried about delays in beginning the voter
registration process, expressing hope that the EC does not
publicize the voter rolls "at the eleventh hour," which would
make it difficult for opposition parties to scrutinize the
register. Nylander stressed that the CPP was not happy about
the EC's delays, that the EC needs to "get back on schedule,"
and suggested that the USG help push the EC along.

10.(SBU) Nylander noted that in 2004 the EC gave parties only
three weeks to inspect the registers before the election, and
this was not sufficient. He also expressed concern of the
allegedly inflated registers in the Ashanti region, and
criticized the EC's poor data management procedures for
permitting this to occur. The EC, he stressed, is
consistently under-resourced by the government and has failed

ACCRA 00000690 003 OF 003


to build its capacity.

11.(SBU) As a small party, Nylander and his colleagues noted
that they face a challenge in getting their message out, and
have limited access to the media due to funding limitations.
Hajia Haruna said that international observers such as the
Carter Center would be welcome to ensure the election is
conducted properly.

CPP-PNC Alliance?
--------------


12. (SBU) Greenstreet admitted that the CPP has been in
discussions with the People's National Convention (PNC),
Ghana's other small party with seats in Parliament, over an
electoral alliance. He noted that the alliance is
"unconfirmed," but that the CPP leader Nduom would be the
Presidential candidate, and the PNC leader, Dr. Edward
Mahama, would be the Vice Presidential candidate. He added
that the CPP has many "sleeper cells" in Ghana who are
sympathetic to the CPP but have "remained silent" and
supported other parties. The CPP believes it can tap into
this sentiment. (NOTE: On May 22 the media reported,
including in a radio interview with Greenstreet, that the
proposed alliance between the CCP and the NDC is off. More
details will follow. END NOTE).

Corruption/Narcotics
--------------

13.(SBU) Regarding corruption and narcotics, Greenstreet said
that if government officials do not obey they law, they must
be punished. However, Haruna said than in addressing
corruption it was important to distinguish greed from need,
and that both sides must be tackled. For many lower level
employees, poor wages are a key factor in encouraging
corruption, and this must be dealt with. Duduy added that in
addition to law enforcement and prosecution, the government
needs to educate children against drugs and improve treatment.

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


14. (C) It is clear that the EC continues to be a focus of
concern in the runup to December's election. The EC needs to
demonstrate --in a timely and public manner -- that it has
adequate funding to supervise an election and run-off
election, competency to administer the update of the voter
registration process, and the skill to explain credibly the
circumstances behind the alleged "bloated" voter rolls in
Ashanti. Failure to address these matters will reduce the
Commission's already damaged credibility and could be used by
opposition parties -- should they lose the December election
-- to discredit the electoral process. The NPP is already
accusing the NDC of crying foul pre-emptively, and the EC has
not helped its cause through its lack of transparency and
unwillingness to acknowledge responsibility for the Ashanti
register issue (the controversial data originated with the EC
itself). Fortunately, these issues are being discused
constructively through the Inter-Party Advisory Committee,
which provides an opportunity to resolve these problems well
ahead of the December elections. End Comment


15. (U) This cable was cleared by AF/W Director Thomas
Dougherty.
BROWN