NDC calls for clean campaign ahead of 2016 polls

The governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged its political opponents in the November 2016 polls to engage in clean campaign.

Communications Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, argues political campaigns that are fraught with insult and character assassination steal the attention of the people from the ideas relevant to the development of the country.

“Let this campaign be devoid of insult. Let it be pregnant with the exchange of ideas, a contestation of ideas,” he called out to political opponents.

As the nation heads into the general election in November, many Ghanaians are worried about the uncontrolled use of intemperate language in the media.

Communicators of both the NDC and its main political opponent, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have, on several occasions, been accused of using foul language in addressing their political opponents.

A Campaign Language Monitoring project launched by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to monitor the use of intemperate language and conduct of politicians ahead of the polls has for two months running found the NPP topping the list of political parties in the use of abusive language.

The monitoring report for the period May 16 – 31, 2016 which was based on monitoring of 972 programmes on 40 radio stations across the country found the NPP leading with the NDC taking the second position.

Even though government communicators have been found engaging in the use of foul language in the media, Dr Boamah says the trend has to change.

He said when the campaign is done devoid of political acrimony and insult, the NDC and that of President Mahama will emerge the winner.

This is because “If you look at all the sectors and I mean all the sectors from health to education to agriculture to ICT and telecommunication, road sector and all, the record of the NDC and that of President Mahama is unassailable.”

Considering government’s many development projects across the country, Dr Boamah was emphatic the campaign message of the NDC will be “superior to that of our major opponents in this election.”