Importance Of Peace As Ghana Prepares For General Elections

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PEACE AS GHANA PREPARES FOR HER GENERAL ELECTIONS

A few weeks from now Ghana will be going to the polls once again for her general elections. This period has time and again been a test for the revered accolade of Ghana as a peace loving nation. Indeed if there is ever anytime that the gospel of peace has been singled out and preached most, it is this time. One can’t fault anyone for preaching peace around this time considering its worth when tension begins to mount. Peace is a priceless commodity, it is the sign of development and prosperity, and it brings happiness among people. It helps to promotes human rights, democratic norms and values and also create the feeling of love, trust, tolerance, and brotherhood. It is on the back of this worth of peace that events such as the violent political confrontations that occurred in Odododiodoo in Accra and other parts of the Country in recent times should be condemned in no uncertain terms. It is unfortunate that for several years now many nations especially in Africa have been saddled by internal conflicts that have eventually turned the clock of development backwards. Indeed no nation can have any meaningful development agenda in the midst of intense conflicts. These conflicts and wars sometimes leave in their wake breakdown of social cohesion, disruption in local governance inadequate access to natural resources, displacement of people, loss of biodiversity, human vulnerability, and insecurity, among others. Ghana is not regarded as a conflict nation, however issues about access to land, use of natural resources, appointment and elevation to chieftaincy and some levels of political differences, have often led to levels of conflicts.

As much as it is impossible to have an absolute conflict free society, the repercussions of war and other forms of unrest in other parts of the continent should energize us as Ghanaians to resist any temptation of fueling conflict into intense violence and brutality especially this period of elections. Available records for instance have it that during the Rwandan war about one million people lost their lives during the first hundred days of the unrests. It is worthy to note that sometimes conflicts like wild fire have unassuming beginnings but when not properly handled can have devastating effects. As a nation we can also take a cue from Cote d’Ivoire which was once referred to as a beacon of peace and prosperity in the West African sub region until this accolade was nullified by civil war and political turmoil a few years ago. It is quite clear that we sometimes trivialize the peace we have as a nation and forget the need to preciously safeguard it. As Ghanaians we have made a mark by scaling up tolerance and peace during general elections. Sustainable Development Goal 16 should be a reminder on the need for us to pursue peace as a necessary ingredient for development. If there is ever any time that the peace trumpet ought to be sounded time and time again, it is now when there are pockets of political tension. On November 21 as a prelude to the General elections, Ghanaians from all walks of life are expected to throng some streets in the Capital to march for peace on the theme ‘Walking For peace before during and after the elections.” As much this is expected to be symbolic it should be a reference point for all especially the youth, to desist from allowing themselves to be used as a conduit to mar the peace we are enjoying now.

Regardless of any circumstance that may make fomenting of unrests tempting, peace cannot be exchanged for anything for it is the mother of development whiles war and unrests are demons of destruction. The responsibility of ensuring peace does not rest on the shoulders of one group but a multiplicity of bodies. The politician, the Electoral Commission, media, security agencies , the legal system, religious bodies and the citizenry at large are all players in this game of peace. We cannot fail Mother Ghana by not playing our part well in safeguarding the peace of this Nation. Let’s go for peace come what may.

BY: DAVID OWUSU-AMOAH, CULTURAL COMMUNICATOR AND   DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT.