Peace pact timely

Yesterday President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and former President John Dramani Mahama committed to peace ahead of the presidential polls scheduled for Monday, December 7, 2020.

The third high-level meeting of the Presidential Elections Peace Pact, signed by the two candidates of the two major political parties in the country, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), is very significant.

Witnessed by well-meaning personalities including the Chief Justice, Justice Anin Yeboah, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the Chairperson of the National Peace Council, Dr Rev. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, the National House of Chiefs, the EC Chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensa, we also want to laud the peace pact initiative which was spearheaded by the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), the National Commission for Civic Education and the National Peace Council.

Furthermore, we note with satisfaction that the two front runners in the upcoming election have both committed fully to maintaining peace before, during and beyond the election. What is more satisfying is the fact that the two leaders are also committing to seeking constitutional redress if dissatisfied with the electoral process.

But beyond this public show of commitment to peace before, during and after the polls, we wish to point out the need to trust our democratic institution, the Electoral Commission, to manage and conduct peaceful polls and the security services to maintain law and order.

We recall that the special voting organised by the election management body on December 1, 2020 passed off smoothly and peacefully with very marginal hitches.

With only two days to go into the crucial polls, peace is on our mind and we are hoping that we all will work together to achieve it.

Undoubtedly, Ghana’s democratic credentials which permeate every nook and cranny of the globe will be put to test on Monday, as over 17 million eligible voters will be expected to cast their ballot in a bid to either retain the incumbent government or otherwise to take over the reins of government.

But if words were the only evidence of a violence-free democracy, then we trust that Ghana will top. Unfortunately, we owe it a duty to back the words with action; we do not have to fight while at the same time preach peace and claim to be the best.

Currently, the various political parties are in the final push of their campaign and are criss-crossing the length and breadth of the country as they tout their messages to the electorate in their quest to sway votes to their side.

While all these are happening, the Daily Graphic has PEACE on its mind and would want to prevail on all political actors, the electorate and all well-meaning Ghanaians to allow that word, PEACE, to resonate in their minds so they do not engage in acts that will jeopardise the harmony we currently enjoy.

Let us note that after the elections, we still have a Ghana to uphold because we have no better country to go to should the unexpected happen.

It is a fact that the special voting last week was a fraction of what is to be expected on December 7, but we are confident that we will be able to live up to expectation and deliver to put any skeptic to shame and once again take our democratic credentials a notch higher.

As a nation, we must all be ready to support the promotion and maintenance of peace throughout the electoral process to once again prove that the country is indeed the beacon of democracy on the continent. We have done it seven times and we cannot fail the eighth presidential and parliamentary elections under the Fourth Republican dispensation. Peace must prevail at all costs.