Monitoring Administrative Resource Use in Ghana's Elections
In this section
Monitoring the Abuse of Incumbency, State Administrative Resources, and Political Corruption in Ghana's 2004 Elections
The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), with Justice Initiative help, monitored the abuse of administrative resources by incumbents during electoral campaigns for the December 7, 2004, national elections.
Background
Official corruption and the abuse of incumbency are two major challenges for Ghana’s democratic system. Persistent and often credible allegations of corruption among public officials and the abuse of public office for partisan electoral purposes represent a major threat to the sustenance of multiparty democracy in Ghana. Perceived abuse of incumbency has been a major source of conflict in Ghana’s electoral process since 1992. Abuse of incumbency became a popular topic of discussion during the 2004 elections.
Objectives
Against this backdrop, CDD-Ghana embarked on a pilot project to highlight and stimulate public awareness and discussion of the problem of incumbency abuse, the misuse of state administrative resources, and political corruption in the 2004 elections. The project is designed to help deter abuse of incumbency and corruption on the part of public office holders and aspirants to elected public position, and to stimulate public interest in institutional reforms that will address the problem of incumbency abuse in the medium to long term.
Activities
To capture systematically the problem of incumbency abuse in Ghana, CDD trained 48 monitors to record their observations of potential instances of abuse occurring between 18 September and the 7 December, 2004, the election date. Monitors were trained to identify abuse of incumbency under the following three categories:
- Administrative Resource Abuse – use of institutional resources, both human and financial, for campaign, as opposed to governance purposes.
- Budgetary Allocation Abuse – hidden allocations of public funds for projects not budgeted for.
- State Media Resource Abuse – biased information and advertising for the purpose of influencing the electorate to support one candidate over another.
Monitors were given a format for recording their observations of abuses. Upon identifying any of the events described above, they were instructed to note the date of the event, describe the event in detail, provide up to three sources for their information, identify the candidate/party that perpetrated the alleged abuse of incumbency, and undertake additional fact checking, verification and follow-up.
Constituencies and media outlets covered
The diversity of the Ghanaian polity is reflected by including at least two constituencies in each of the country’s ten regions and rural as well as urban constituencies. The sample also includes hotly contested and safe constituencies as well as newly created constituencies. Constituencies covered in the study included:
- Greater Accra - Odododiodio, Krowor, Ada Sege, Ayawaso West Wuogon, Adenta, Ablekuma Central, Okaikwei South, Tema East, and Abokobi Madina;
- Ashanti - Atwima Kwanwoma, Bantama, Nhyiaeso, Manhyia, Old Tafo, Fomena, Adansi Asokwa, Offinso South, Asante Akim North, Subin, and Bekwai;
- Brong Ahafo - Sunyani East, Kintampo South, and Sunyani West;
- Central - Cape Coast, and Mfantsiman West;
- Eastern - Akim Abuakwa South, and New Juaben North;
- Volta - Ho Central, Ho West, and Krachi East;
- Western - Sekondi, Takoradi, Bia, and Amenfi East;
- Northern - Tamale North, Tamale South, Yendi, and Mion;
- Upper East - Bolgatanga, Bawku Central, Nabdam, and Talensi;
- Upper West - Wa Central, and Sissala East.
Media outlets monitored include:
- Ghana Television;
- Ghanaian Times;
- GBC Radio,
- Daily Graphic.
These four outlets which cover print, radio, and television are all widely consumed sources of information and, more importantly for the study at hand, state-owned and particularly vulnerable to incumbent abuse.
Collation and analysis of reports
Reports submitted by monitors were collated, analyzed, and reviewed by CDD in-house experts as well as external experts. A draft summary and analysis of the reports was also subjected to review by the Abuse of Incumbency Project Advisory Committee.
The project is funded by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) of the United Kingdom.
Contacts
Franklin Oduro: franklin@cddghana.org
Ghana Center for Democratic Development
http://www.cddghana.org