In 2008, Ghana returns to the polls under the weight of great national and international expectation. Military coups and suspect elections on the continent becoming commonplace, Ghana was to be the beacon of democracy that the region and its pro-democracy activists could look to. Two-term incumbent, John Kuffour, is stepping aside and his place is to be taken by either the Conserative NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo or the Liberal NDC's Professor John Atta Mills. Both politicians outline their hopes for a fair and peaceful election.
Formerly the 'Gold Coast' under British colonial rule, Ghana had been the first West African country to claim independence, in 1957. Since then, it has suffered through a series of tumultuous political periods, numbering three military coups and four republics; however, from 1992 it has slowly but surely developed a cohesive political system and consistent, if not extraordinary, national growth. Nevertheless, it's people are not content. Channelling the modern complaint used by citizens of democracy the world over, the Ghanaians remain suspicious of the political pandering of their representatives, promising a great deal but always failing to act once elected.
Ghanaian: 'None of the parties are offering a paradigm shift. All parties offering to do the same thing, but some offer to do it better than others'.
It is the universality of the issues and complaints found in this documentary that offers hope, not just to Ghana, but to the continent as a whole. The two main parties in Ghana, the NDC and the NPP, are far from polarized - at one point we cut back and forth between party rallies to see both candidates making almost identical pledges relating to security and food production - and this is mirrored in the issues that continually crop up in interviews with ordinary Ghanaians, regardless of their political affiliations. Top of this list is a desire for peaceful elections; when the ballet boxes are counted, the locals insist on surrounding officials and count the ballets out loud. It is raw democracy, and it's very powerful.
Former President Jerry Rawlings: 'I know what a pack of thieves the NPP are. You need to protect the sanctity of the ballot box as you would protect your mother, your wife, your children'.
Nevertheless, Ghana does not operate as a bubble; this is still Africa. Fears of fraudulent activity and party intimidation are ever-present; a delay in the announcement of results after the first round of voting leads to both parties bringing their supporters out onto the street, provoking the army to intervene and clashes to erupt. It takes a calm and composed response from the Ghanaian Electoral Commission to re-assert the rule of law and ensure a transfer of power is eventually accomplished without major incident.
Such kinks in the process grant Ghana's election a real authenticity. As an example to its neighbours on the continent, its imperfection should be a inspiration - democracy is built over a period of time, not erected out of a box. The US have shown that however strong your democratic institutions may be (and that is perhaps the only thing both parties there do agree on), elections are still complex and emotive events to manage. Yet, Ghana and its Electoral Commission know that with each successive attempt, both they and the public at large will develop a confidence and trust in the processes put in place.
NDC Spokeswoman: 'I want my children not to be ashamed of being African, because Africa is always looked at as a basket case'.
'An African Election' is a TBC; in a way, it will never be completed. Yet, with each subsequent free and fair election, with each runner-up or incumbent who accepts with grace the will of his people, Africa will go closer to becoming the peaceful and prosperous region it deserves to be.
Concluding Thought: Former President Jerry Rawlings is one serious orator.
Formerly the 'Gold Coast' under British colonial rule, Ghana had been the first West African country to claim independence, in 1957. Since then, it has suffered through a series of tumultuous political periods, numbering three military coups and four republics; however, from 1992 it has slowly but surely developed a cohesive political system and consistent, if not extraordinary, national growth. Nevertheless, it's people are not content. Channelling the modern complaint used by citizens of democracy the world over, the Ghanaians remain suspicious of the political pandering of their representatives, promising a great deal but always failing to act once elected.
Ghanaian: 'None of the parties are offering a paradigm shift. All parties offering to do the same thing, but some offer to do it better than others'.
It is the universality of the issues and complaints found in this documentary that offers hope, not just to Ghana, but to the continent as a whole. The two main parties in Ghana, the NDC and the NPP, are far from polarized - at one point we cut back and forth between party rallies to see both candidates making almost identical pledges relating to security and food production - and this is mirrored in the issues that continually crop up in interviews with ordinary Ghanaians, regardless of their political affiliations. Top of this list is a desire for peaceful elections; when the ballet boxes are counted, the locals insist on surrounding officials and count the ballets out loud. It is raw democracy, and it's very powerful.
Former President Jerry Rawlings: 'I know what a pack of thieves the NPP are. You need to protect the sanctity of the ballot box as you would protect your mother, your wife, your children'.
Nevertheless, Ghana does not operate as a bubble; this is still Africa. Fears of fraudulent activity and party intimidation are ever-present; a delay in the announcement of results after the first round of voting leads to both parties bringing their supporters out onto the street, provoking the army to intervene and clashes to erupt. It takes a calm and composed response from the Ghanaian Electoral Commission to re-assert the rule of law and ensure a transfer of power is eventually accomplished without major incident.
Such kinks in the process grant Ghana's election a real authenticity. As an example to its neighbours on the continent, its imperfection should be a inspiration - democracy is built over a period of time, not erected out of a box. The US have shown that however strong your democratic institutions may be (and that is perhaps the only thing both parties there do agree on), elections are still complex and emotive events to manage. Yet, Ghana and its Electoral Commission know that with each successive attempt, both they and the public at large will develop a confidence and trust in the processes put in place.
NDC Spokeswoman: 'I want my children not to be ashamed of being African, because Africa is always looked at as a basket case'.
'An African Election' is a TBC; in a way, it will never be completed. Yet, with each subsequent free and fair election, with each runner-up or incumbent who accepts with grace the will of his people, Africa will go closer to becoming the peaceful and prosperous region it deserves to be.
Concluding Thought: Former President Jerry Rawlings is one serious orator.