This latest report by WANEP-Ghana further puts more weight on a similar report released in the last quarter of 2011 which warned the country’s leadership to take serious steps to pre-empt any violent situation as election 2012 approaches.
The report highlighted three proximate issues of concern in the period January to March 2012 and they were politically related tensions, chieftaincy incidents and armed robbery and circulation of arms. Other issues identified but not highlighted in this edition of the report were nationwide electricity blackouts and recurrent labour union unrests which are emerging as slow moving security threats and could be more explosive in the future.
The identification, according to the report signed by the National Network Coordinator of WANEP-Ghana Mr. Justin Bayor, was based on analysis of data recorded, which showed scale and magnitude in its Early Warning database as well as information gathered through field focus group discussions with stakeholders and WANEP-Ghana chapter members across the country. They were also identified as most threatening because of their potential to easily degenerate into large scale violence if no adequate interventions are carried. Again, the factors in each of these conversely influence the others and could increase as the NGO prepared towards the 2012 general elections in the country.
Chieftaincy Related Tensions
From the 66 incidents recorded, 15 of them were violent cases. Of the 15 violence cases, the report noted that 2 of them were direct chieftaincy related violence and 2 were ethnic/chieftaincy arson cases.
Also, there were chieftaincy related threats of violence, some of which almost resulted in acts of violence. Out of 7 threats of violence recorded in the month of March, 5 were chieftaincy related. These incidents for instance occurred in Gomoah in the Central Region, Yendi, and Bimbilla in the Northern Region, Ngleshie Amanfro in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region and Tanoboase in the Brong-Ahafo Region.
Besides, in Yendi, tensions rose over the celebrations and enskinment of sub-chiefs and the perceived intention to enskin a second regent of Dagbon. In Bimbilla there was also simmering tensions after the ruling by the Northern Region House of Chiefs on the protracted Nanung chieftaincy dispute.
The report further observed that chieftaincy cases in Ghana, particularly in the Northern Sector were largely influenced by political activities and regimes. Factional members in political or public positions, it said, were perceived to have the power to decide who could or could not be a chief or could make a sitting chief powerless. They were also perceived to create economic and social opportunities that place factional members above opponents. The rising threats according to the report were likely due to the tendency for chieftaincy factions to demand a resolution of the disputes, especially in an election year, even when their affiliate political party was not in power in the event that their demands could be justified when their affiliate party comes into power later on.
Again, the tendency to make demands in order to polarize the situation, with the view to making one party lose or win elections in their support bases, was very much evident. Therefore, WANEP-Ghana still insists that the 2012 general elections would likely determine the peace situations within these communities and across the country.
Politically Motivated Violence
According to the report, of 15 violent incidents recorded within the period, 3 were politically motivated with 1 occurring in the month of January and 2 in February 2012. Again, out of a total of 12 incidents of public/labour demonstrations, it said 5 of these were politically influenced and increased from 1 in January to 2 each in February and March, noting, that also represented the highest. Threats of violence were 7 and recorded in the month of March alone as 2 of these originated from political activities, it revealed.
For instance, the report stated that there was near clash between some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) including its National Youth Organiser and some National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters at Asempa FM in Accra on February 22, 2012. The disturbance emanated from misunderstandings over allegations, denials and counter allegations as well as alleged attack by the radio host.
Again, in February 12, 2012, the report mentioned that a man believed to be a party member and also an Assemblyman was shot dead at Badoor, near Bawku, by unknown assailants. Additionally, on March 9, 2012 tension increased among faction members of the NDC at Ledzekuku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region after their primaries to elect the party’s parliamentary candidate for the 2012 elections, the report noted, citing the playing of ethnic cards as the cause of the misunderstanding.
The report thus maintained, that the aforesaid, are an indication of the increasing anxiety over the outcomes of the December 2012 general elections in Ghana. Adding, that the political activities are fuelled by high intra and inter politically motivated direct insults on personalities and on their persons, unproven allegations, and insinuative languages that have the tendency to ignite violence or create opportunities for “conflict profiteers” to exploit insecurity situation during the 2012 elections to perpetuate violence.
Recommendations
In the face of these threats, WANEP-Ghana called on the Upper East, Northern, Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra Houses of Chiefs to be more proactive and discuss further to find win-win options to the protracted and simmering chieftaincy tensions within their jurisdictions.
The report pleaded for government-backed security swoop on all areas with chieftaincy/political tensions to retrieve any stockpile of arms and ammunitions within factions. Such efforts, it says, should also be directed at criminal hideouts.
It encouraged the Parliamentary Select Committee on Chieftaincy and the courts to view unresolved chieftaincy cases as threats to national peace in 2012 and 2013.
Besides, it renewed its call on government, international institutions and civil society groups to increase the communications, transport and ammunition detection capacities of the security agencies, stressing that the police should also be provided with bullet-proof uniforms and equipments to enable them respond effectively to violence and crime situations and with limited casualties.
Moreover, the report urged the youth of political and traditional disputing factions to expose political and chieftaincy members who might want to influence them to perpetuate violence. It suggested that such persons or their children who are young be challenged to lead in the violence.
While advocating for collaboration between the police, CEPS officials, immigration service and the communities to increase border security as well as identify the sources of arms in the country to reduce the movement of, and use of small arms and ammunitions; the report appealed to government and its agencies to find ways of dealing with the increasing labour unrests and end the frequent nationwide power outages because they were increasingly becoming security threats.
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