Don’t bring religious sentiments into elections — NERG

The National Election Response Group (NERG) has appealed to political and religious figures not to draw religious sentiments into this year’s general election.  

It expressed concern about the worrying trend in the media on pronouncements by political and religious figures whipping up religious sentiments into the December 7 general election.

“We encourage the public to recall the harmonious nature persons of different religious persuasions have coexisted in the country, and enhance acts of religious tolerance as we approach the [forthcoming] general election,” it said in a statement signed by its chairperson, Rev. Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi. 

Defacing posters

It also expressed concern about the destruction of posters, billboards and other publicity materials of political parties by their political opponents.

“These acts can breach the peace we are enjoying as a country if not curtailed,” it said.

It urged the public not to undertake or participate in such acts and called on the Ghana Police Service to monitor and respond to such acts to preserve the peace.

The statement also called on all political parties to mount billboards or post-campaign bills without generating inappropriate reactions. 

Consensus building:

It was optimistic that the EC would continue working with all political parties and stakeholders to enhance the credibility of our voters’ register as we approach the 2024 general election.  

“NERG would like to assure all Ghanaians of our commitment to continue monitoring the situation across the country and undertake the necessary responses to facilitate a peaceful election in December 2024,” it gave an assurance. 

Fact sheet

The National Peace Council (NPC) and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) launched the National Election Response Group (NERG) in May 2024 as a key component of the Electoral Violence Monitoring, Analysis and Mitigation (E-MAM) project with funding by the European Union.