It’s dark spot on our democrary — NCCE, GBA
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Ghana Bar Association have waded into the acid attack on the Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that led to his death, describing the incident as a dark spot on the country’s democracy.
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Separate statements issued by the two bodies have called on security agencies to swiftly investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.
NCCE
The NCCE challenged political party leaders in the country to redirect their followers to a better path to curb the increasing political intolerance and antagonism in the country.
“On the altar of politics, we are sacrificing our culture, our cherished traditions and our very selves. We urge all Ghanaians to remember that political parties exist to serve the people of Ghana and to ensure the development of Ghana in peace, tranquillity and stability,” the commission said in a statement signed by its Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Mrs Joyce Afutu.
Mr Mahama’s attackers bathed him in acid last Wednesday evening, resulting in his death the next day.
The statement recalled the death of the District Chief Executive of Nkwanta South in the Volta Region, Mr Peter Kojo Kenyeso, and stated that the two incidents and the growing culture of violent vitriolic party politics were not good for the country.
It observed that multi-party democracy was a contest of ideas and ideologies where political parties worked together to promote the wellbeing of society, and anytime there was a deviation from the principle, the interest of Ghanaians would be in jeopardy.
“Unfortunately, we seem to be moving away from the exchange of ideas in our politics to insults, personal attacks and violence.”
The statement reminded Ghanaians that Article 41(c) of the 1992 Constitution enjoined them to foster national unity and live in harmony with others, adding that it was imperative for all Ghanaians to show tolerance and appreciate fundamental human rights of other people even as they enjoyed their rights as citizens.
GBA
The GBA described the acid attack and subsequent death of Mr Mahama as a very serious stain on Ghana’s democratic credentials.
That, it explained, was because the Constitution recognised as a fundamental right, the individual’s freedom of thought, conscience, belief and disagreement as a core ingredient in the rule of law and democracy.
“Indeed, there is more than enough space under the canopy of our democratic experiment for divergent views and it is most despicable and unacceptable that such an incident should occur at a time when Ghana is touted as a beacon of African democracy,” it said.
A statement jointly signed by its National President and Secretary, Nene Abayateye Amegatcher and Mr Justin Agbeli Amenuvor respectively, called on the law enforcement agencies, as a matter of urgency, to investigate and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly and cowardly act to book.
It expressed the hope that the Judiciary would also lend its support in dealing swiftly with any persons implicated in the act to serve as a deterrent to other persons with similar inclinations to engage in such barbaric and criminal acts.
“The GBA calls on the leaders and supporters of all political parties to exercise maximum restraint in all cases and to remember that the quest to rule our dear nation is a contest of ideas and that the individual’s right to life is inviolable,” it appealed.
The two organisations expressed condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that the good Lord would bear them up to come to terms with the huge and untimely loss of their beloved family member.