This is a reverse of a decade-long decline, a new analysis of Afrobarometer data indicates.

According to the report, an appreciation of the level of interest of women in politics was seen ahead of the December 2016, as a result of the intensified campaign for an increase in women’s participation and representation on the political scene.

The report, however, noted that, in spite of the progress, “Ghanaian women continue to trail men on indicators of political and civic engagement.”

Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, the Associate Vice President at the University of Findlay in the United States, during a seminar on “Women’s Perspective on Ghana’s 4th Republic Through the Eyes of Afrobarometer held at the Center for Democratic Development in Accra, revealed that, the interest of Ghanaian women in politics increased by about 12% since 2012.

Read the key findings below:

• A majority (54%) of Ghanaian women say they are “somewhat” or “very” interested in public affairs, an increase of 12 percentage points since 2012. Similarly, the proportion of women who say they discuss political matters “frequently” grew from 13% in 2012 to 21% in 2015 (Figure 1).

• Still, on both measures, women trail men by more than 10 percentage points.

• More than three-fourths (78%) of women say that many political parties are needed in order to give voters a real choice, an increase from 55% in 2002.

• Women continue to lag behind men in political and civic engagement, such as joining others to raise an issue, contacting leaders, or attending a demonstration.

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions, and related issues in Africa.

Six rounds of surveys were conducted in up to 37 Africans countries between 1999 and 2016, and Round 7 surveys (2016/2018) are currently underway. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice with nationally representative samples.

The Afrobarometer team in Ghana, led by the Center for Democratic Development, interviewed 2,400 adults in October 2016. A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2% at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys have been conducted in Ghana in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2012, and 2015.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Supreme Court, in 2013, dismissed an application by the New Patriotic Party, challenging the EC’s declaration of the NDC’s John Dramani Mahama as the legitimate winner of the 2012 Presidential elections.

Supreme court announces Mahama as legitimate winner of the 2012 Presidential elections

Speaking at a forum organized by policy Think Tank, Imani Ghana on Friday  to mark the first anniversary of the election petition verdict, Mr. Prempeh argued that, “the court’s judgement failed to bring clarity or certainty in how our elections must be conducted.”

He also believed the court should have “outlined a procedure to mount a successful petition in court in the event of  a future disputed election.”

Dr. Afari Gyan (EC Chairman): Prof. Prempeh says the Electoral Commission not to blame for the electoral reforms delay

According to Mr. Prempeh, the majority judgement in the election petition case, which he described as being “of dubious value,”  failed to answer questions which could be relevant to the conduct of future elections.

“Are presiding officers legally bound to sing the pink sheet?” he queried

“Is a re-run of the election between the contending parties the only permissible remedy in an election petition or may the court order drastic remedies like a re-count or a re-vote in the constituency? These are the questions that the parties and candidates would like to know.Unfortunately, these are the questions the Supreme Court failed to answer,” he added.

Meanwhile a former head of the Ghana Institute of Management and Professional Administration, (GIMPA), Prof. Steven Addai, says Ghana must abide by signed treaties regarding international electoral processes.

Prof. Addae believes that the results from every polling station should be “projected unto a public screen and not only on the internet.”

“I remember in 1969, that was done. And that was almost 45 years ago,”, he said.

According to him, the system which is practiced in other African countries, should be implemented as it might improve the transparency of the polls.

“As soon as the results are counted they must be projected unto a public screen.

“If it is not done, “then there is a deliberate connival to rig the elections.”

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Electoral reform: Supreme Court to blame for EC’s delay – Kwasi Prempeh appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.