'Vote massively on December 28'

Page 30 Monday December 15 2008
The Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Herbert Anim-Opong, has appealed to Ghanaians to turn up in their numbers again and vote in the presidential run-off on December 28.
That, he said, would further deepen Ghana’s democracy and demonstrate the political maturity of the Ghanaian electorate.
Rev. Anim-Opong told the Daily Graphic that the Presbyterian Church of Ghana had issued directives to its congregations to reschedule their service from Sunday, December 28, to Saturday, to enable them vote.
The run-off is between Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Professor John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Rev. Anim-Opong said Ghanaians should forget about the cost involved in a run-off and hold themselves together in readiness for the betterment of the country.
“It is a constitutional right which we have to comply with. We have to go back to the polls until a winner emerges”, he said.
He said due to some unknown peculiar difficulties, some congregations decided to worship on the day of the elections.
Rev. Anim-Opong advised the two presidential aspirants going for the run-off to be mindful of the language they use and avoid provocation and insinuations.
“Our politicians must season their words with salt, as the scripture says”, he noted.
He charged the Electoral Commission (EC) to reorganise themselves to improve upon their performance in the December 7 elections.
Rev. Anim Opong commended the EC for working effectively with the security agents and the media but urged them to do better on December 28.
He said two weeks was enough time for the EC to reorganise itself and that Ghanaians were not going to take any excuse for any lapses the second time.
“Dealing with figures is easy so the EC should not find it difficult declaring the results the second time”, he emphasised.He advised Ghanaians to accept the results as it would be declared and should refrain from any form of arguments.
According to Rev. Anim-Opong, denominations should schedule their activities in any way they deem fit to enable their congregations find fulfilment in their worship.
He congratulated the presiding officers at the various polling stations for the good work they did on Sunday and encouraged them to do better.
Rev. Anim-Opong said Ghanaians were the ultimate benefactors and, therefore, needed to work harder.