Some electorates in the Kpone-Katamanso constituency have urged the media to project the policies and campaign messages of smaller political parties and independent candidates contesting the presidential election on December 7.
They noted that the media must give similar attention and time to those political parties just as they do for the two major parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview, they explained that without such media projections, it would be difficult for the electorates to follow their policies and analyse them to make informed decisions on who to vote for in the general elections.
According to the electorates, they do not know the office locations of the smaller parties in the constituency nor the policies they intend to implement if elected to power.
Mr Cephas Narh, a safety officer, indicated that “I do not know where the offices of the small parties are in the constituency, but I see some of their supporters campaigning around. I do not also know their positions on the ballot paper, but I believe they would be voted for.”
He added that “I have not heard of any of their policies because it looks like the country’s focus is on the NPP and NDC, so Ghanaians do not pay attention to the other political parties,” adding that “the media also do not project the other political parties like they do for the NPP and NDC.”
Mr David Addo, an accountant, said even though he has seen a few posters of other candidates, especially the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) and the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), he did not know the location of their offices.
“I have not heard the policies of some of the parties as compared to the NPP and NDC manifestoes. I know the flag bearer of the LPG said he would pay unemployed students 700 cedis every month. But we need to hear more of the policies of the others,” he said.
Madam Veronica Mensah, a trader, said, “I have not heard any of the policies of the other political parties aside from the NPP and NDC. In Ghana, the political parties we know are the NPP and NDC, so when there is a new party, it is quite difficult to adapt to them. If the other parties can also come out and campaign like the NPP and NDC or even present relevant policies that would help the citizens, then we would be happy.”
“I have heard some of the policies from NPP and NDC from some of the market women but not from the other parties. I heard the NDC promised to continue what the NPP started when voted into power,” she added.
GNA
