Ghanaians go to polls to elect post-coup Govt

Press, 19 June 1979, Page 8

Ghanaians go to polls to elect post-coup Govt

NZPA-Reuter Accra Two weeks after the latest military coup, Ghanaians went to the polls yesterday in the first General Election since their last civilian Government was swept aside in a similar armed forces seizure of power seven years a B°-

With five million people eligible to vote, the election will name a new civilian Government which may be able to start ruling before the October 1 date promised three days ago by the new military rulers of Ghana.

Before the balloting for a President and a 140-seat Parliament, Captain Boakye Djan, a member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, said on Saturday night that the promised hand-over date was negotiable and might be advanced provided the military men felt the new civilian Government would press on with the fight against corruption. If not, the council would stay in power till the end of September as specified in an official decree issued on Friday, he said. Captain Djan was answering questions at a meeting of the council and the 10 Presidential candidates cdn-

testing the election. The! meeting was chaired by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, leader of the June 4 coup d’etat which toppled the regime of General Fred Akuffo. The leader of the military Government which preceded the Akuffo regime, Ignatius Acheampong, and another British-trained officer, Lieu-tenant-General E. K. Utuka, former commander Of Ghana’s Border Guards, were executed by firing squad on Saturday. They had been convicted of squandering Government funds and using their position to amass wealth while in office. General Akuffo and a number of senior police officers and military commanders are also in custody awaiting trial by revolutionary courts and some civilians are expected to follow them into the dock. The Revolutionary Council, which on Friday promised it would hand over rule to the elected Government on October 1, announced the same day it was setting up an execution site on a shooting range for senior officers and officials convicted of corruption. Ghana’s election caippiaign, which began last January after the Akuffo Government

lifted a seven-year ban on party political activity, has concentrated on the country’s stagnant economy, rampant inflation, and allegations of immorality in both public and private life. The Government declared yesterday a public holiday to ensure a big vote turnout. ; Ghanaians had been uncertain since the June 4 coup ftfetat about the date Of a ‘civilian Government takeover till the Revolutionary Council’s announcement on Friday. Of the 10 civilian Presidential candidates, six are .backed by political parties and four are standing as Independents. In the Parliamentary vote, 784 candidates have entered the contest for the 140 seats. If no Presidential , candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the vote, a run-off will be held within 21 days. If the run-off fails to produce a clear winner. Parliament will choose a President from the two most successful candidates in the second poll. Ghana’s last civilian Government was headed by President Kofi Busia.