Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in
the Northern Region of Ghana, have reaffirmed their resolved and commitment to
ensure, that the upcoming December 7, 2012 presidential and parliamentary
elections, are conducted in a peaceful, free, fair and transparent manner.
According
to the CSOs, it was better to make the call for peace earlier than wait till
violence erupts during the period of elections, which they observed could mar
the process and perhaps destabilize the economic and social ambiance of the
country.
Thus,
in their desire to contribute towards peaceful elections and transition of
power, the CSOs which are working towards poverty alleviation and good
democratic governance in the region, recently organised a peace walk in the
Tamale Metropolis.
Speaking
to Savannahnews
in an interview after the walk, Executive Director of Northern Ghana Network
for Development (NGND) Theophilus Ibrahima Dokurugu, said in order to avoid any
untoward situation from now till December 7 when the electorates go to the
polls, it was imperative to send across a message that would remind residents
of the region particularly the youth that the mistakes of the past could be
repeated if trivial issues surrounding the elections were not handled well.
He
noted that violence emanating from electoral conflicts was so costly, citing
countries such as Kenya, Liberia, Zimbabwe and recently La Cote D’Ivoire where
thousands of her citizens were killed, maimed, displaced and property worth
millions of dollars destroyed at their last presidential polls.
Tamale is a known
hotspot according to recent researches conducted by various conflict resolution
organizations. The
majority of those often found to be engaging in violent acts particularly
during elections are mostly the youth, supposedly influenced with money and
other freebies by selfish politicians to enable them win power.
In
this sprawling city of about 500,000 people, electioneering years are bad times
for most peace loving residents considering the fact that the area was also
besieged with a protracted chieftaincy dispute (Dagbon conflict) that often resurrects
during electioneering periods. For instance, the 2008 elections recorded series
of violent clashes between supporters of the major political parties
particularly the New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress in
Tamale, Gushiegu and other parts of the Northern Region.
However,
with less than two months to what is perhaps Ghana’s major presidential and
parliamentary elections especially following the discovery of oil in 2007 that
is considered a sure trump card to an economic boom, the stakes are already
high as many political activists in the bigger parties are trying to outdo each
other through vile propaganda and smeared campaign.
Chief
Inspector Robert Aheto, Station Officer of the Tamale Metropolitan Police
Command in a statement, pledged that the police administration would leave no
stone unturned before, during and after this year’s elections in order to
ensure that peace prevailed.
He
appealed to supporters of the various political parties in the Northern Region
to desist from acts that would lead to violence since Ghana stood the chance of
losing so much when there is an outbreak of war as a result of elections.
Meanwhile,
the Tamale peace walk which was on the theme: “A peaceful Ghana, our collective
responsibility” brought together various youth groups and keep-fit
clubs who carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “No peace, No Azonto”,
“No peace, No development” and “No peace, No education” among others.
It
was organised by NGND and Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development
(CALID) in collaboration with YouthAlive with funding support from STAR-Ghana.
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