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Ghana Highlights Unity During âDay of Thanksgivingâ

   Ghanaians offered prayers, sought civil discourse ahead of next yearâs
   hotly contested elections

   Peter Clottey | Accra, Ghana  March 14, 2011

   The  government  of  Ghana and opposition parties declared Monday of a
   âDay  of Thanksgivingâ for the unity of the West African country.  It
   comes   one   week   after  Ghana  marked  its  54^th  anniversary  of
   independence from Britain.

   âThere  were several hours of national prayer to thank God for keeping
   Ghana stable,â reports Peter Clottey from the capital, Accra.

   Map of Ghana
   âPresident  John Atta Mills said God is the president of this country,
   and he will continue to [ask] God to direct him to have the wisdom and
   knowledge to rule the country.â

   Clottey  says  it  was  also  a  day  for political rivals to meet and
   converse in a civil manner, a change from what critics say has been an
   atmosphere of divisive political rhetoric.

   âFor   the  first  time,  President  Mills  [of  the  ruling  National
   Democratic  Congress  party]  and former President John Agyekum Kuofor
   [of  the  New Patriotic Party] metâ¦.to calm down tensions, to talk to
   one  another  [about]  how  best  to  move  the country forward,â said
   Clottey.

   âFor  the  first  time,â  said  Clottey,  âyou saw the main opposition
   leader  [of  the  NPP], Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, shaking hands and
   chatting  heartily  and embracing President Mills. Both of their wives
   [and others] were [also] conversing.

   âThis  was flashed all over newspapers and television stations and was
   the  topic  of   political  discussions on the radio about how [well]
   they  projected  [unity] and to show Ghana is peaceful, stable despite
   the challenges in some of these neighboring countries.â

   Ghana  stands  in  contrast to neighboring Ivory Coast, which has been
   brought  to  a  standstill  by  last  Novemberâs disputed presidential
   election.

AFP Photo

   Civil  leaders  fear  overheated  rhetoric  between the government and
   opposition could endanger next year's elections.
   Clottey  says  many  Ghanaians  are  worried  that  divisive political
   rhetoric  could  scare  investors  or  lead to violence during its own
   polls scheduled for next year.

   âIvory  Coast is in crisis,â explains Clottey, âand people are worried
   that,  with  some of these statements, it could raise tensions so high
   that  when  elections are arranged for next year, things could get out
   of hand.â

   The  government  has  denied  opposition  claims that it has failed to
   deliver  on its campaign promise of a âbetter Ghana.â  Critics charge
   the  national  census  and  district  elections  were  poorly  run,  a
   situation  the  government  blames on what the government says are two
   independent   agencies  â  the  electoral  commission  and  the  Ghana
   Statistical Service.

   On  the other hand, the government cites its progress in improving the
   economy,  including  a  report  by  the  Corruption  Perception  Index
   indicating improvements in fighting corruption. The index is published
   by the Ghanaian branch of the group Transparency International.

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