Ghana Needs Peace before, during and after the Elections.

It’s yet another electioneering year for Mother Ghana and political parties have mounted on campaign platform vigorously campaigning for votes and power. Since the embracement of Democracy in 1992 till date, Ghana have held several elections with the latest in 2020. Over the years, Ghana has been touted as one of the peace-loving countries in Africa, and also a beacon of democracy due to its overwhelming achievement in peace and democracy in the past elections. The country has never recorded extreme or serious violence clashes before, during and after the general elections since 1992 in exception of the 2020 elections which resulted in several loss of lives.

It’s important to note that peace is a very important commodity in every country’s democratic dispensation including Ghana. The absent of peace in a country prevents democracy to thrive hence breed war and anarchy. Peace as every living soul would want to embrace it be it homes or wherever brings joy, love and happiness.

As the nation head to the polls on December 7, it’s important on the political parties, chiefs, religious leaders and Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) to campaign for peace before, during and after the elections. Political Parties should ensure and encourage party Faithfuls or supporters to campaign and embrace peace and avoid politics of insults and intimidations which may trigger violence. Religious leaders, Chiefs and Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) must also ensure that the political parties embrace and campaign for peace through intense dialogue and signing of Peace Pact or agreement before the general elections.

It’s therefore incumbent on the National Peace Council to collaborate with the Media and other relevant stakeholders who hold peace in high esteem to ensure that the nation continues to enjoy its achievements of peace and democracy touted for this electioneering season by enabling political parties’ campaign for peace before, during and after the election.

The nation should not experience the incident occurred during the 2020 elections where eight (8) lives had perished during the election this time round. A nation of majority of deprived, less privilege and great recognition of peace should not jeopardize its achievement at the expense of power. Power obtained after election is meant to govern the people and when those people’s lives are lost before, during and after the elections, the power obtained is useless and meaningless.

Moving forward, it’s imperative on the ruling government to collaborate with the nation stakeholders thus Chiefs, religious leaders, CSO’s, Parliament and the judiciary to design a framework towards peace in the country and also enact and enforce laws on perpetrators of peace and tranquility in the country in order to serve as deterrent to others.

Mother Ghana is where we all belong, and Mother Ghana needs peace before, during and after the elections.

By: Portia Agyeman Manu, Level 300 Student, School of Communication and Media Studies- UEW.