A former Commissioner of Commission on Human Rights and Administrative\u00a0Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short\u00a0says the boycott of the National Economic Forum (NEF) by the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a clear example of the negative effects of the \u2018Winner Takes All\u2019 practice in Ghana.<\/p>\n
He said the total loss political opponents feel when they lose national elections prevents them from partaking in nation building.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical opponents don\u2019t have any motivation to contribute constructively to national development,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has been advocating for the removal of the \u2018Winner Takes All\u2019 practice stated in the country\u2019s constitution.<\/p>\n
It has therefore set up an 11-member \u2018Winner Takes All\u2019 Advisory Committee to re-examine Ghana\u2019s \u2018Winner Takes All\u2019 system and to supervise the conduct of a nationwide public consultation process.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show<\/strong>, Justice Short noted that the National Economic Forum was aimed in finding a lasting solution to a national problem but because the NPP is hoping to win power in 2016, it refused to partake in the forum to \u2018help\u2019 the government.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cFor some, the reason was simply this; you have won the elections, you\u2019ve not be able to manage the economy properly, why are you calling us to help you to reverse the wrongs and to fix the economy?\u201d<\/p>\n The former CHRAJ Commissioner stated that the practice does not build consensus and has the likelihood of forcing marginalized opposition parties to \u201csabotage the national agenda so that they can unseat the ruling government and they can also have the opportunity to come to power and to exploit the spoils of office.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Justice Short, elections have become divisive and tense \u201cand the whole nation is gripped with a great sense of uncertainty, people are not sure of what is going to happen and we have to have prayers all over the country to make sure that when the outcome of the election is known, there is no violence.\u201d<\/p>\n He however expressed satisfaction with the increasing calls by Ghanaians for the system to be abolished adding that politicians are aware of the inherent dangers in the practice.<\/p>\n He pointed out that there is the need for an alternative system to be developed to \u201cmitigate the negative consequences of the Winner Takes All system.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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