Let’s work towards 2016 polls with open minds, hearts

This year’s presidential and parliamentary elections promise to be one of the most keenly contested and challenging for the Electoral Commission (EC).

The stakes are already high as the nation inches towards the crucial elections in November, with accusations and counter-accusations from all sides of the political divide.

There is increasing evidence that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is working hard to retain political  power, while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is doing everything to recapture the power it lost in 2008.

The People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) are equally working hard to offer a third alternative to the two major political parties.

Just this weekend, drama and controversy surrounded the setting up of an Election Steering Committee by the EC. Whereas after an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting with the EC last Friday some political parties emerged with the understanding that the committee set up by the EC had been suspended, the EC, in a statement signed by its acting Director of Public Affairs, Mr Christian Owusu Parry, described that report as erroneous and urged the public to disregard it.

Judging from the suspicious relations that exist between the EC and some of the political parties, particularly the dominant opposition NPP, all efforts must be made to ensure open, free, fair and transparent polls.

It is in line with this that the appeal by our two former Presidents for all measures to be taken to guarantee peaceful elections is timely and must be respected and abided by.

Speaking at separate events, former President Jerry John Rawlings called on all stakeholders in the forthcoming elections to ensure the highest level of transparency to guarantee a peaceful process.

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, on the other hand, tasked the EC to put Ghana first in the conduct of this year’s  elections.

As important as the elections are, all stakeholders, including the EC and the political parties, must heed the call by our two former Presidents and look ahead with open minds to prosecute the 2016 electoral agenda.

Thankfully, President John Dramani Mahama has not spared any opportunity to assure the nation of peaceful elections.

It is the view of the Daily Graphic that if we want to have peaceful elections, come November 7, then all stakeholders must start working towards them now. This is because Ghana cannot afford to wait any longer and it is about time all stakeholders got involved now and worked together for free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections that all Ghanaians are craving for.

With the violence that often  takes place in other African countries after elections in mind, the common agenda for Election 2016 must  be peace and nothing short of that.

Ghana, undoubtedly, has succeeded in creating a global reputation for itself as a country in which governments can be changed  through the ballot box, not bullets, and in which the transfer of administration can take place between a ruling party and an opposition party.

Ahead of the conduct of the 2016 elections, the global community will once again have their eyes firmly focused on Ghana as it works to preserve its democratic credentials as a bastion of good governance.

In 2016, we have to do everything in our power to preach peace, not war, while no partisan interest must be allowed to undermine the attainment of this noble objective.