By Jesse Ampah Owusu
Accra, Sept. 11, GNA – Political actors and stakeholders in the Kwabenya Constituency, in the Ga East Municipality have pledged to promote peace before, during, and after the 2024 elections.
They made the pledge at the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting organised by the Ga East Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Kwabenya, near Accra
They signed a communique to signify their commitment to promote peace in the Municipality.
The NCCE held the meeting as part of steps to promote peaceful electoral process. It brought together representatives of political parties, religious leaders, traditional authorities, Persons with Disabilities, Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Ghana Police Service, women and youth groups and the media.
The IPDC would serve as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among political parties, stakeholders, and citizens to address electoral concerns, promote tolerance, and mitigate potential conflicts.
Mrs. Jemima Abena Konadu Mensah, Ga East NCCE Municipal Director, said that the Commission established IPDCs at the regional and district levels as a proactive step to promote peaceful elections and political stability in the country.
She said that the impending election season was crucial for Ghana, and that voters needed to be well-informed and engaged.
“The onus lies on the Committee to strategise to carry effective educational messages to the people to help meet its objectives. I will encourage you all to participate actively, whether through listening, asking questions, or partaking in discussions.
“It is our collective responsibility to have an interest in the peace and stability of our country in this election period, so there is the need to come together and ensure we preserve the peace we are currently enjoying as a nation,” she said.
Mrs. Mensah said the Committee was expected to meet regularly, at least once a month before the election day, and that emergency sessions would be held whenever situations that could compromise the peaceful conduct of the elections arose.
They would also organise interactive inter-party fora to defuse tensions, engage stakeholders in resolving inter and intra-party issues, and conduct social events to promote inter-faith tolerance.
ASP Herbert Apindem, Kwabenya District Police Commander, said the Police Service would remain neutral in its efforts to ensure adequate security and protect lives.
He asked the public to follow the laws and procedures of the election process and warned youths not react to situations without verifying the facts.
Nii Annang Ofori, Chief of Papao, advised the media to be mindful about their report ahead of the elections, saying “any reportage that will cause disturbances should be shelved or presented in a better and nicer way to diffuse tension.”
He advised political parties to preach peace to their supporters rather than incite them to create confusion or dissatisfaction during the election process.
GNA