After the 1992 Presidential election, the New Patriotic Party decided not to contest the Parliamentary election because of several infractions in the Presidential Election which challenged the integrity of the election. The New Patriotic Party commissioned a group of lawyers led by the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo to review the election and produce a report. This resulted in the publication of The Stolen Verdict. The suggestions made in the Stolen Verdict broadly included:
1. Replacement of opaque ballot boxes with transparent ones
2. The presence of party agents at polling stations,
3. The tracking of electoral materials and ballot boxes,
4. Creation of a transitional body to supervise the electoral process.
5. Compilation of a completely new voters' roll and identity card for voters.
6. Replacement of INEC with a new body made up of representatives from all parties.
All these suggestions are now part of Ghana’s electoral process.
Truth be told, the Stolen Verdict Committee's work materialised, and there were reforms which have gone a long way to strengthen our democracy...
* Act 451 which established the EC was passed.
* IPAC was inaugurated in 1994.
* Presidential and Parliamentary elections are now held simultaneously
* Counting of votes and declaration of results takes place immediately after voting in the presence of voters and party agents; and many more.
We will forever be grateful for those who, at the time it was not popular or considered safe to stand and be counted, had the courage of their conviction, in 1993. Those who were part of the team led by H. E. Nana Akufo-Addo include, Joe Ghartey, Phillip Addison and Efua Ghartey (Wife of Joe Ghartey).
