Coming Events Cast Their Shadows

Ghana some days ago ended its nationwide compilation of its voter’s register to herald the December 2020 polls.

An exercise as simple and mundane as waiting one turn in a cue to have their name captured in the voters roll was fraught with lots of disturbances and confusion.

At some polling stations there were even reports of gunshots, mayhem and misunderstanding marring the rather peaceful exercise in many if not most of the polling stations.

Polling agents on the other hand had to run for their dear lives as the tugs of the political parties especially the NDC and NPP unleashed their venom.

These cases of disturbances as captured in the media naturally should give the electorates a cause to worry even as the big day, the December polls draw closer.

The likelihood is that these single acts of violence that characterized the voter registration exercise would be repeated particularly when the culprits who perpetrated these violent acts have not been dragged before court to face the full rigors of the laws.

Thais is why the paper considers the call by the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Professor Emmanuel Asante to stakeholders particularly, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to keep to the roadmap and code of conduct against political vigilantism as very apt.

He said adherence to the roadmap and code of ethics as agreed upon, would deepen the nation’s democracy and preserve the peace of the country before and after the general elections.

“The two parties, the NDC and NPP have declared publicly that vigilantism is inimical in Ghana’s democratic system and must be eradicated”.

The man of God said any person who took part in any vigilante activity, act as a member or subscribed to its membership had committed a crime according to the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 2019, (Act 999) and liable to a term of imprisonment not less than ten years and not more than fifteen years.

He said the culture of raining insults, hate speech on political figures and those who genuinely expressed their views concerning political issues should be discouraged to maintain the peace.

“All those fighting for peace should be encouraged and their labour should not be in vain,” he said.

Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, Spokesperson at the Office of the National Chief Imam, for his part said the youth should resist attempts by political parties to use them as tools of violence.

He said political competition should not be reduced to violence, hostility and insults to intimidate but rather policy guided dialogues.

According to him, the youth should value their lives and know that no politician would put his or her child or relative in the frontline during a conflict or war.

THE NEW PUBLISHER is of the view that the citizenry also owe it a duty to promote ethical conduct relating to elections to manage the temperatures of the times to ensure a peaceful election come December.

Our concern should not be just about who wins the elections but the peace of the nation.

If the disturbances in the just ended voter registration exercise is anything to go by then we dare say that coming events in deeded cast their shadows…