POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE IN UPPER EAST CORDIAL (Dialy Graphic, Tuesday November 25, 2008, PAGE 15)

The leading political parties in this year’s presidential and parliamentary elections are criss-crossing each other in the Upper East Region, trading ideas as to who will win the hearts and minds of the voting population in the region.
As election day draws nearer, three out of the seven political parties and the independent candidate contesting the presidential elections have over the past 14 days stormed the region to propagate their messages.
Dr Edward Mahama, Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Convention, (PNC), and his Vice, Madam Petra Amegashie; Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and the New Patriotic Party’s flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have all been touring constituencies in the region to canvass for votes.
Since the second-phase of the Institute of Economic Affairs debate in Tamale, political activities in the region have peaked and the region is full of excitement over political activities.
Dr Edward Mahama was first to arrive from Tamale a day after the debate and his campaign team headed for the Chiana-Paga, Bongo and Bolgatanga constituencies to address various fora .
He also went on some radio stations in the regional capital to propagate his campaign message.
Just as Dr Mahama rounded off his campaign, NDC’s Prof. Mills, set the regional capital agog from last week Saturday, November 15 to Thursday, November 20, 2008.
His tour took him to the Bolgatanga, Bongo, Tongo, Chiana-Paga, Navrongo, Pusiga, Bawku Central, Binduri, Garu Tempane and Zebilla constituencies.
Indeed, the trip to the last five constituencies was the very first in four months. It was made possible after the security agencies gave the green light for the resumption of political activities following months of protracted tribal conflicts.
Just as the NDC rounded off its activities, the NPP presidential candidate zoomed in from the Upper West Region, together with his running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia and their campaign also took thme to the Bawku areas. This was followed by a mammoth rally in the regional capital.
Even before Nana Akufo-Addo rounded off his activities, the former President, Flight Lt. J.J. Rawlings, zoomed in from the Upper West Region to canvass for votes. At a point, there were apprehensions among the electorate that the security situation in the region would be disturbed by the presence of Mr Rawlings and Nana Akufo-Addo around the same time, but thankfully their schedules were well managed such that at no point in time was there a clash.
One sight that greeted the electorate in all these electioneering was the long convoys of vehicles that characterised these visits. While Dr Edward Mahama’s campaign trail boasted of less than five four wheel drives and double cabin pickups, the NDC had something in the range of 10 vehicles. The NPP on the other hand had the longest convoy of between 15 and 20 4 X 4 vehicles.
One thing that came to the notice of this reporter was that while vehicles of the PNC and NDC were fully occupied with some passengers virtually squeezing themselves in, some of the vehicles those in the NPP convoycarried few passengers.
In all these, journalists and security personnel bore the brunt of the gruelling nature of the trips some of which were long distances. These persons leave their homes early in the mornings and return late at night. Accompanying these politicians can be very challenging; while these politicians stock their vehicles with beverages and snacks the journalists and security personnel accompanying the entourage are left to their fate and often skip meals throughout the day.
In addition, while the politicians rode in strong vehicles fitted with air conditioners, security personnel who are to protect these politicians are rather assigned to vehicles that can not even boost of air-conditioners and are therefore exposed to tonnes of dust generated by the moving cars.
It is no surprise that neat uniforms worn by these security personnel by the start of the day turn into brown attire by the end of the day. Perhaps, the time has come for us as a nation to provide for the safety and comfort of the men who protect the politicians.
While some of the parties make it a point to return to base early enough and provide meals for all including the security personnel that accompanied them as a sign of appreciation, other political parties just do not even offer water as a way of expressing their thanks for whatever services might have been rendered.
Roads in communities and villages that have not seen long fleets of vehicles running on them for a long time soon become alive and inhabitants watch in excitement as these vehicles and their occupants, the politicians’ move to and fro to canvass for votes.