Let there be peace

Daily Graphic, (Sunday Special)

Story Rebecca Quaicoe Duho

THE Chairman of the National Peace Council, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson has called on Ghanaians to ensure that the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections are held in a peaceful manner.
According to him, it is the trust and hope of the council that “we shall all graciously accept the outcome of the elections, since that will be the people’s choice”.
The Chairman of the Council said this when the Council met with the ECOWAS Observer Election Mission in Accra on Friday.
The mission, led by Former Nigerian President, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and made up of Members of Parliament of other ECOWAS states and some media personnel is in Accra to observe Sunday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Cardinal Turkson who was briefing members of the mission on the work that the Council has so far undertaken since it was established some two years ago said despite its efforts and that of other peace organisations, the country was still bedevilled with pockets of chieftancy disputes which could lead to chaotic situations if not well addressed.
He said the politicisation of tribalism was not only a problem in Ghana but also across Africa and called on all to help address it.
He said the council has done everything possible within its means to ensure that such chieftancy or tribal disputes does not translate into the upcoming elections and therefore called on all to ensure that such a situation does not happen.
He commended efforts of other religious and non-governmental organisations saying that the council has also organised workshops for key stakeholders in the up-coming elections such as the security agencies and media personnel in all the 10 regions and said their effort will surely pay-off with a peaceful election.
The Chairman said the Council has also met with some first-time voters who they counselled and gave guidance on how to cast their votes peacefully.
Touching on some concerns raised during the Council’s meeting with former President Rawlings and some members of the NDC, Cardinal Turkson said it was time the country took the issue of incumbency serious during future elections.
He said the advantage that an incumbent government had over other parties was an issue that the constitution needs to address in future elections to ensure that state funds are not used for elections.
“The opposition always feels that the incumbent has an edge over it”, and this according to him is an issue that needed to be addressed.
He commended all the Presidential and Parliamentary aspirants saying that their ability to interact with each other gives the council the hope that all will be well.
He said in other African countries politicians do not have such fraternity and therefore what was happening in Ghana where Presidential aspirants have given their pledge to ensure that there will be peace, should be enumerated in other countries.
“In Ghana, party members are still friends and they display this publicly unlike in other countries and this gives us hope”, he said.
He took the opportunity to wish all the aspirants in both the presidential and Parliamentary elections the best of luck.