Ensure peaceful conduct of this year’s elections — Kofi Asamoah

The General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr Kofi Asamoah, has called on all stakeholders to ensure that this year’s general election is conducted in an atmosphere of peace.

He expressed concern that in every election year, the nation experienced threats of violence which generated unnecessary tension and agitation in the country.

“When you watch television and see how wars have devastated some countries and displaced people, you will always wish for peace,” he said.

Forum

Mr Asamoah made the call yesterday at a pre-May Day forum of the union, at which participants discussed various issues bordering on the development of the country.

The forum was on the theme: “Election 2016: The role of workers in securing peaceful elections for national development”.

According to him, workers were the forerunners in the country’s quest to sustainable democracy and entreated them to act in the interest of the country to consolidate the prevailing peace and also ensure accelerated development.

“As we sympathise with the various political parties, we should not make enemies of ourselves. I can’t look at your foreheads and know the party each of you belongs to,” he stated, adding, “What is important is that we are all workers committed to the growth of our democracy.” 

Effects

Mr Asamoah further stressed the traumatic effects of war on a country.

“As a people, we will not be able to move freely about. If there is a war, you will not be able to sit with anybody to negotiate or increase our meagre salaries that we are not satisfied with.

 “You have to leave all your acquired properties and find somewhere to hide,” he intimated.

Unemployment

A Research Fellow at the Institute for Democratic Development, Mr Kwesi Jonah, bemoaned the increasing rate of youth unemployment in the country.

 “If you are a country and your young people do not have any hope for job after school, you do not need any terrorist; you are creating the terrorist right here, home-grown terrorist. It is a ticking time bomb,” he cautioned.