As Ghana approaches its general elections scheduled for December 7, 2024, calls for a peaceful electoral process have intensified. Political leaders have expressed concerns following isolated incidents of violence linked to the elections in various regions.
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will face former President John Dramani Mahama, who is seeking a return to office under National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the polls. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is a Muslim from Tamale, the capital city of the Northern Region, while John Mahama is a Christian from Damongo, the capital of Savannah Region. Current president Nana Akufo-Addo will step down in January 2025 after completing his constitutionally mandated eight-year term.
Although Ghana is known to be a stable, democratic country with a history of successful political transitions, and has held eight free and fair elections since 1992, recent reports of politically linked violence have prompted major political parties to sign a peace pact in preparation for the December elections. Concerns over violence materialized on September 6 when supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Salaga, East Gonja Municipality, Savannah Region, clashed over the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP) equipment, resulting in four injuries. Ghanaian peace leaders are calling on stakeholders, youth, and the media, to promote peace amidst the violence.
Sébastien Brack, the Kofi Annan Foundation’s representative, stated during his presentation at the Code of Conduct inaugural meeting that “[a]t a time when democracy is in retreat, especially in West Africa, it is all the more important that Ghana remain a beacon of democracy.”
He went on to state that, “Although he was a global statesman, Kofi Annan was proud to be Ghanian because Ghana is famous for its peace and democracy. Every election is a test of that reputation, but also an opportunity to reaffirm Ghanaians’ commitment to a system that has served them well.”
The National Peace Council Ghana, responsible for promoting peace in the country, has been actively engaging stakeholders to stress the importance of peaceful elections. The Council’s efforts include peace sensitization, training programs for youth, community outreach, media campaigns, cultural events, workshops, seminars, and policy advocacy against vigilantism. George Amoh, the council’s executive secretary, emphasized the Council’s role in conflict prevention and management, especially involving the use of peace pacts. While not legally enforceable, they are “persuasive rather than punitive”, as they carry moral weight and encourage commitment to non-violence, he said.
Amoh told Peace News, “They show a commitment to peace and discourage violence by leaders, thereby fostering a peaceful environment….[This] discourages party followers from using the violent ways because their leaders commit to using non violence mechanisms in addressing conflicts.”
In July 2024, 11 peace pacts were registered in Ghana amongst political parties in anticipation of the upcoming election, he said. Amoh further added that they are waiting for the major presidential elections peace pact which they hope all the major parties will once again commit to signing.
Amoh urged the youth to use non-violent methods to address conflicts, highlighting their future’s dependence on today’s actions. “The future belongs to the youth,” he said. “If you destroy today, you destroy the future. We must protect today to secure a better tomorrow.”
Executive Secretary National Peace Council, Ghana George Amoh.
He further appealed to youth to use nonviolent ways to address conflicts because conflicts will arise due to differences in background or languages. However, the youth should commit to using nonviolent alternatives when such conflicts arise, he said.
Amoh explained, “That is the easiest way to protect the future of the youth, and I want all the youth to come on board to ensure we do not give in to any politician who wants to use us for their own ends. We do not have to do that. If they do, let us ask them to bring their own children first before we follow them if they fail to do so. We have reason to say no to their luring attitude toward violence.”
Dr. Charles Ohene-Amoh, Executive Secretary of the Central Regional Peace Council, echoed these sentiments. He emphasized the significance of peace sensitization and the role of peace pacts in resolving conflicts and maintaining democracy. He pointed to the successful 2012 Peace Pact, known as the “Kumasi Declaration,” as a positive example of such agreements: “If the pact was not signed the country could have witnessed violent conflict during the elections,” he told Peace News.
In the Savannah Region, Kennedy Atiibo, Regional Officer for the Savannah Peace Council, highlighted recent training for media practitioners on conflict-sensitive reporting in the Savannah region in the north of the country. This initiative aims to ensure that media coverage does not incite conflict in the lead-up to the elections. The Savannah region in the north was one of the regions created in year 2019.
Atiibo’s final message to Ghanaians is to uphold the country’s peaceful reputation. “We have a history to protect,” he told Peace News. “Let’s approach this election calmly and resolve differences through non-violent means.”
He said Ghanaians should remain calm and go about it as a normal election, saying “Where there are differences that need to be resolved then let’s choose the non-violent approach because that is very important as far as the elections are concern.”
Kennedy expressed confidence that the election will go on successfully across the country.
Similarly, Melody Azinim, Peace and Governance Analyst at the UNDP- Ghana, also said youth are a critical component for peace building since they are the most common actors in various forms of conflicts, crimes, and violence, especially during campaigns and elections.
Azinim spoke at a peace campaign organized for the youth in the Sakyere Afram plains district at Drobonso recently. She stressed the need for an institution to educate youth in order to prevent them from falling prey to politicians who want to use them for their selfish goals.
ECOWAS Holds Dialogue Meeting with Political Actors, Stakeholders
The Department of Political, Peace, and Security of the Economic Community Commission of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the National Peace Council of Ghana, held an interactive training workshop with political actors and stakeholders in Ghana from 4th to 11th September 2024.
The aim is to create an opportunity for stakeholders to learn about and value the ECOWAS Constitutional Convergence Principles (as provided for in the Additional Protocol 2001 on Democracy and Good Governance) and other frameworks for transparent and peaceful conduct of elections.
The workshop also aims to provide a platform for a structured and multisectoral dialogue between representatives of political parties, security agencies, the Election Commission (EC), and civil society organisations (OCC) on issues relating to the organization and conduct of the December 7, 2024 general elections.
The initiative provided participants with the opportunity to acquire practical techniques and skills for dialogue and mediation, essential tools for managing disputes and electoral conflicts, through group discussions, role simulations, and plenary debates.
Commissioner for Political, Peace and Security Affairs, Ambassador (Dr.) Abdel-Fatau Musah, represented by Mr. Ebenezer Asiedu, Chief of Democracy and Good Governance, in his remarks at the workshop as quoted reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to promoting dialogue as a fundamental tool for managing expectations of the parties interested in electoral processes
The Representative of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Florence Mensah, highlighted the readiness of the Electoral Committee to conduct free, fair, peaceful and inclusive elections.
Participants at the workshop included representatives of the National Peace Council, the Electoral Commission, political parties, security agencies, the Christian Council, the Office of the National Chief Imam, the National House of Chiefs, civil society organizations including youth and women’s groups, and the media, who play key roles in preventing and mitigating election-related disputes.
Finally, as Ghanaians look forward to the general elections, the call for peace and violence-free campaigns is intensifying not only within the country, but across the west African region, with the hope that the political actors imbibe a culture of violence-free polls for the stability of the country.
Mohammed Ibrahim
Mohammed is a multimedia freelance journalist in Kaduna State, Nigeria. He graduated from the International Institute of Journalism Abuja. In 2016 Mohammed received the Courage in Journalism Award for his investigative reporting, from the Africa Media Development Foundation.
