The European Union (EU) has been lauded for its continuous support to Ghana towards preventing electoral violence and consolidating the gains of the nation’s fledgling democracy.
Nana Appiah Kubi, the Chairman of the Asunafo North Municipal Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), however, cautioned political party communicators to be decorous and guard against utterances that could infuriate each other to create unwarranted tensions and plunge the country into chaos.
He also asked the media to be circumspect in their reportage by upholding high professional and ethical standards, saying, the actions and inactions of the media could either make or unmake the nation.
Nana Appiah Kubi gave the commendation when he was speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement on violence and extremism organised by the Asunafo North Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the National Security held at Goaso, the Ahafo Regional capital.
Attended by political party activists, religious bodies, traditional rulers, representatives of women and youth groups, and the security agencies, the day’s engagement aimed at sensitizing the participants on the EU’s sponsored, “Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to Northern Border Regions of Ghana Project”, being implemented by the NCCE.
Nana Appiah Kubi said the country could no longer take its prevailing peace and unity for granted, hence, the need for everybody, particularly political party followers, commentators, and the media to avoid utterances and comments that had the potential to divide and disunite the populace, trigger violence and disturb the peace of the nation.
Mr. Eric Adu, the Ahafo Regional Director of the NCCE called for collective and strenuous efforts of all in dealing with ‘miscreants’ whose behavior and activities threatened the foundation of peace in the country.
“Security Services and all stakeholders must put our acts together and deal decisively with any miscreant whose activities threaten the foundation of our peace, unity, and stability”, he said.
Mr. Adu underlined the need to highlight on and reinforce the role of political parties as key stakeholders in deepening national peace and social cohesion, saying, violence and extremism retarded national progress.
“There can never be any justification whatsoever for any group of persons to resort to violence as an alternative means to settle their socio-political differences”, he said.
Mr. Adu cited countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya, Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan tried to achieve peace, stability and good governance through civil and political wars, but never succeeded “until some of these countries realized the importance of dialogue and negotiation as the most viable means to attain perpetual peace and stability in any civilized society”.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Danso Abeam, the Asunafo North Municipal Police Commander, took the participants through the Criminal Offences Act, and entreated everybody to contribute to the maintenance of the nation’s prevailing peace.
Earlier in a welcoming address, Mr. Philip Kombat, the Asunafo North Municipal Director of the NCCE advised particularly political parties in the region to always resort to the use of dialogue in settling differences to promote peace and social cohesion.
