A proposed peace agreement that would encourage political parties to behave peacefully in the general elections scheduled for December 7 has been rejected by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which has justified its decision.
The Peace Council, which is spearheading the effort, has not established a fair and inclusive environment that encourages equitable participation from all political parties, according to the NDC.
The NDC’s National Peace Campaign was launched with John Dramani Mahama, the party’s flagbearer, publicly reaffirming his commitment to peace. However, the party feels that the Peace Council has not adequately engaged with all stakeholders or addressed problems that are essential to guaranteeing electoral fairness.
Mustapha Gbande, the NDC’s Deputy General Secretary, elaborated on the party’s reservations, noting that key state institutions, such as the police, Electoral Commission, military, and national security agencies, play vital roles in upholding peace and must act as neutral entities.
He raised worries about whether this neutrality would be properly upheld and underlined that these institutions are in charge of ensuring a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful voting process.
“Institutions of states such as the police, the Electoral Commission, the military, national security. All of these individual institutions play a role, a frontal role, to ensure that they actually are referees to everything that is been done for peace to prevail. NDC is committed to peace. President Mahama is committed to peace.
“But as to whether we believe that the Peace Council’s peace pact is something that has gotten to a standard involving all stakeholders. We don’t think that the Peace Council has done a good job. We don’t think that they have helped this country because people have died out of the 2020 election and they did nothing.”
Source: Citinewsroom