Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President, Dennis Miracles Aboagye has disagreed with critics accusing the ruling government of vote buying, especially following the recently held Assin North by-election.
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) condemned the incidence of vote buying in the Assin North by-election held on Tuesday.
The National Coordinator of CODEO, Albert Kofi Arhin, speaking in an interview said: “I heard a lot of people talking about money exchanging hands, being given to voters and that’s a very bad sign. It’s been happening and people have been talking about it and if we are not careful this will destroy the democracy that we are building.”
“How can you give money to a voter to cast a ballot for you? It is surely a bad sign, so I think both politicians and voters need to look at this and find solutions to it because it is not good for our democracy,” he added.
However, the Presidential Staffer believes what the Coalition is saying "is just theory".
"The only way anyone can make a case is if there's any scientific proof that if you give something to someone it can influence the person to vote for or against you, then we'll be able to make a case. As for what CODEO and others are saying it's just paperwork..." he said during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'.
Watch video below
Miracles further indicated that as a politician, he'll do whatever he can "within his means" to ensure that he gets the vote he needs during an election.
According to him, if anyone should be blamed for vote buying it should be the voter.
"I'm a politician; if I'm going for an election and I come to you and you tell me to give you a private jet before you vote for me; why not, I'll give it to you; if it's within my means. If you have any complaint about vote buying it should go to the voter, not the politician. I'm a political party and my job is to win an election; what are you talking about? Ah!!! As for this vote buying issue, I don't even understand it. Who did we buy???"
Listen to him in the video below
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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All these people claim they are practising democracy. Africa is yet to understand that democracy isn´t how we govern ourselves before the white man bestoled their ways of ruling on us. Why wouldnt this poor sole talk anyhow?
Your job as a politician is not to win elections at all cost. The people of Ghana decides who becomes the president so if you go to them with any form of inducement, it’s a crime. I beg to differ and that’s why the government can’t think beyond elections. Which university did Miracles attend? Maybe he has not worked in a very large corporate institution before else he wouldn’t be making such unguided statements. You lose your job the very moment you are deemed to have been compromised. Beginning of each financial year, every member of staff sign a conflict of interests and anti bribery and corruption declaration. Let Miracles know that he lacks integrity and not fit to work at the presidency to be paid with taxpayers money for making such statements.
These are the people sending NPP back into opposition come 2024.
What a childish comment. If you know you will give money to a voter to vote against you, will you? Politicians give out monies to voters to influence them to vote in their favour. If you give out a private jet to win win an election, why not? Question is; how are you going to get back the money you used in buying the jet since you are not Father Christmas? This is where inflation of contracts, taking 10-15% for contracts awarded. Can a country develop under such circumstances? Why will you give money to people if you genuinely want to serve them.? Such unguided utterances is what makes Ghanaians describe politicians with all sorts of unprintable words. You people will never learn.