By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Sept. 24, GNA – The National Peace Council (NPC) has appealed to Ghanaians, particularly politicians, to refrain from comments that “vilify and bastardize” critical state institutions.
The debasing of state institutions, particularly the NPC, Judiciary, Electoral Commission, and the security agencies among others, did not only undermine public confidence in them but derailed efforts toward attracting and retaining investments made in them.
“There can be no peace without development. We do not need to bastardize and vilify our democratic institutions and come back to think that they do not have the credibility that we need to grow our democracy.
“It is time we focus our energy and thoughts on strengthening state institutions to perform their constitutional roles.
“I think we need to take our politics out of certain institutions, and rather focus on helping them to become stronger,” Mr Charles Ohene Amoh, the Executive Secretary of NPC in the Central Region, has said.
He was speaking with the Ghana News Agency on the significance of September 21, being declared globally as the International Day of Peace.
This year’s celebration is themed: “Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the #GlobalGoals.”
The day symbolized a call to action that recognizes individual and collective responsibility to foster peace.
Fostering peace contributes to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and achieving the SDGs will create a culture of peace for all.
As human institutions, Mr Amoh concurred that such state institutions were not immune to mistakes, and, therefore, needed to be corrected when they erred.
They must be fairly criticized and pointed out when they go wrong and equally praised if they get it right.
He added: “The challenge is that when these institutions at a point become frustrated and begin to fail, the nation will derail in development and democratic gains.
Mr Amoh also cautioned the media to be circumspect in the manner that will guard the peace of the nation and democratic gains.
He said the kind of discussions that would be held in the media space ahead of the 2024 election, would determine whether the country will remain calm.
Local language stations are fond of embellishing issues they deliver as news.
“So, from now on, it is important for them to be very circumspect about what they say.
“The little things that you say can inflame passion and so we must be very, careful,” he cautioned.
On the limited voter registration exercise, he charged political party leaders to desist from offering hooligans party and political identity to commit violence.
The youth should also not allow themselves to be used by politicians as puppets to foment trouble before, during, and after the elections.
“Stay away from acts that can gain you negative reputation as troublemaker,” he cautioned Ghanaian youths.
GNA