Do away with small political parties – former EC director
Ban small parties from participating in elections
Former Director of Operations of the Electoral Commission, Mr Albert Arhin has urged his former institution to do away with dormant political parties.
His reason for this advice is that their membership is so low, they do not work until the next general elections. He also feels they are appendages of the two major political parties that is, the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party.
Based on that he is of the view that the Electoral Commission should do away with them and focus on the major political parties.
But in a sharp rebuttal, the leader of the Liberal Party, Mr Kofi Akpaloo said he was disappointed in Mr Arhin and said Mr Arhin does not believe in the essence of multi-party democracy.
Mr Akpaloo in his defence further stated that there is no law supporting the fact that political parties not having offices in all regions and districts should be banned so the debate is on should such ‘’smaller parties be banned?
As it stands now on the Electoral Commissions website there are 27 registered political parties. How in the last general elections only 11 of the 27 registered parties contested along with one independent candidate. Aside from the NPP and NDC, the rest of the parties that contested including the independent candidate only managed 1.32 per cent of all valid votes cast.
That worrying performance has led many to doubt their influence on the electoral system and has thus prompted the conversation of the electoral body disbanding those small parties from participating in elections. But is it something that can be done now considering our laws that promote multi-party democracy?
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
