With the presidential run-off due in two week's time, it would be premature to give ourselves full marks for the conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections. Since only a simple majority is needed for victory in the run-off, we should expect an intensification of campaigning by both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). More money is expected to change hands, there will be more lies intended to cause maximum damage to opponents, a shameless attempt to play the tribal or regional card, and there could be possible outbreak of violence, either instigated by the utterances of political leaders, or due to the overzealousness of supporters and members of the two parties. Still, as my very good friend the Rev. J. Oppon-Agyare would have put it, "We have reason to crow." It is true that at the time of the writing of this article, the results of two constituencies were yet to be released. It is equally true that there have been media reports of lawlessness at a polling station at Akwatia, and assault of election officials somewhere in Kete Krachi. There could also have been unreported cases of violence. In spite of these incidents by hair-brained individuals, we managed, by the Grace of God, to avert the kind of violence that marred the elections in Kenya and Zimbabwe. God obviously listened to our earnest prayers for peace. You know something? A friend has seen the hand of God in the outcome of the presidential elections. How? He thinks that with the two leading parties claiming victory, based on their so-called "strong-room" projections, disaster would have struck if outright victory had been announced by the Electoral Commission for one side. He thinks that the "draw", as it were, has given both parties sober moments to face reality. The intervention of God might also have come through the arrangement that ensured that the accredited representatives of all the contesting political parties would be with the Electoral Commission, to ensure accountability, fairness and, above all, transparency. Indeed, when Dr. K. Afari-Gyan, the Chairman of the Electoral Commission, formally announced the results, he did so with the absolute certainty that he and his Commission could not be challenged by any of the contesting parties or individual. Imagine what could have happened if the EC had done all the permutations, and combinations without the participation of the contending parties, especially the NDC and the NPP. We would still be hearing the howls and yells of angry disapproval and threats of mayhem if the EC had declared either Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo or Professor John Evans Atta Mills as the winner. God mercifully shut the mouths of both the NDC and the NPP. Under our laws, voting is not compulsory. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to see how the physically-challenged, the visually-challenged, and the very aged, considered it their civic duty to go to the polling stations to cast their votes. There was the picture of a woman so old that she had to be carried. There was another picture of another aged woman who refused to be helped to cast her vote. God be praised. The press (print and electronic) has often come under criticism for various reasons: outright falsehood, damaging distortions of the news, defamation, poor use of language (expression, grammar, spelling and punctuation), extortion, the arrogant display of media power, plain ignorance, etc. Unfortunately, some of the criticism is justified. On the other hand, we should not forget how, over the years, the press has also creditably discharged its civic responsibilities. Media houses have brought the news to our homes. Reporters have reported cases of hardship and affliction. Many lives have been saved by benevolent individuals, following reports on radio, television and in the newspapers. One must commend the media for straining every nerve and sinew to bring us reports of the elections. Reporters of both state-owned and privately-owned media houses were everywhere, as they sought to tell us what was happening in all comers of Ghana. Did the reporters, producers, and all who had to do with reporting, ever go to sleep? As usual, there were reports of some media houses who allowed their personal and political biases to show unethically in their reports. The Police Administration, the Electoral Commission and certain individuals have expressed reservations about some aspects of reports of the elections. But, on the whole, even the bitterest enemy of the press, will have to admit that a very good job was done. I can only express grave disappointment with our premier broadcaster, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation. Even as I write, listeners of Garden City Radio (GCR) in Kumasi cannot listen to the GBC news without all those irritating breaks in transmission. The Kumasi people at GCR keep talking about satellite link problems. It is a crying shame that those of us who want to listen to GBC news cannot enjoy uninterrupted transmission. They should do something fast, because the problem has gone on for far too long for our liking. The security services - the Police, the Military, Prisons, Fire, Immigration and CEPS - also deserve commendation. But is it true that the big bosses at the Fire and Immigration services shortchanged their staff by paying them GH¢20.00 (Twenty Ghana cedis) and GH¢30.00 (Thirty Ghana cedis) respectively, instead of the GH¢70.00 (Seventy Ghana cedis) paid across the board to all who had to serve as security officers? This should be looked into, because those affected are unhappy and angry. Kudos to Chairman Afari-Gyan and his Electoral Commission for pulling off another election. There were shortcomings and mistakes. It is hoped that for the run-off in particular, and for future elections in general, the EC, the political parties and all who have a stake in a good electoral process, will meet to take out the deficiencies. Perfection cannot be achieved, but it is worth striving for. The political parties should take the warning seriously that they have no authority to declare election results. The irresponsibility displayed in the past and in this year's elections should not be repeated. Finally, we, the voters, also ought to congratulate ourselves on showing a determination to discharge our civic responsibilities. We were not deterred by fear, the long queues, sunshine, rain, hunger or thirst. Good for us. Let us go to vote on December 28, 2008. PS: Congratulations to Mr. Mohammed I. Muniru on his appointment as the Branch Manager, Ghana Commercial Bank, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Madam Agatha Wereko and Madam Esther Bukari of the same branch, I salute you for your hard work and courtesy to customers. Credit: I.K. Gyasi [Bluntly Speaking] Source: The Chronicle