By Alfred Adams
The Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr. Alphonso Arthur, has stated that credible and peaceful elections were undeniably very crucial indicators for democracy and good governance.
The Regional Director made the statement during the inauguration of a 21-member Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) at Tarkwa-Nsuaem over the weekend. The IPDC provides effective dialogue platforms for major stakeholders to engage with all registered political parties in order to promote peace before, during, and after the forthcoming 2016 general elections.
Mr. Alphonso Arthur, Regional Director, who spoke on the core functions of the IPDC, emphasised on dialogue as the best alternative to maintaining peace for stable democracy and good governance. He said the aftermath of disputed elections is often characterised with the destruction of national properties and serious conflicts leading to civil wars.
Clear examples, he cited, were the May 2011 political unrest in La Côte d’Ivoire and the 1994 Rwanda national coercion, which led to the genocide of about 800,000 innocent and armless civilians, mostly women and children.
Mr. Arthur reminded the committee that Ghana has had six successful general elections since the 1992 Forth Republican Constitution and the peaceful transfer of political power from a ruling party to an opposition party in the years 2000 and 2008.
These, coupled with the maturity exhibited in handling the 2013 Supreme Court verdict, have indeed made Ghana a beacon of democratic governance beyond the African Continent.
Regardless of our outstanding democratic records, the NCCE boss said it was surprising to hear some politicians still engaging in politics of insults, using intemperate language, unsubstantiated allegations, and other political conduct which have the tendency of pushing the country into violence during an election year.
The conduct of these individuals or groups provides enough justification for the formation of Inter-Party Dialogue Committees – a body that acts as a buffer zone in the various constituencies – to stem the tide of unnecessary suspicions and anxiety among the political parties.
The 21-member committee comprises of representatives from the Muslim and Christian councils, traditional council, Electoral Commission (EC), Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Police Service, chairpersons and secretaries of the existing registered political parties in the constituency, including all political parties.
The rest include representatives of the Information Services Department (ISD), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), radio stations, as well as representatives from the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly and National Youth Authority.
Mr. Iddrisu Musah from the Muslim Council was elected as Chairman for the committee, while the 1st Vice Chairman and Secretary positions went to Mr. Ben Sowah from the Christian Council and Peter D’yaka of the NCCE respectively.
In a welcome address, the Municipal Director of the NCCE, Mr. Peter D’yaka, underscored the fact that the NCCE, as one of the independent governance institutions mandated to promote democracy, needed to work in close relation with all stakeholders, including civil society organisations, religious leaders, and all the registered political parties and Ghanaians to ensure credible and peaceful elections.
It was, therefore, very appropriate to establish the IPDC as a body comprising all the key players to facilitate effective monitoring of political party activities, and ensure they adhere to their code of conduct during campaigns.
Mr. D’yaka also appealed to the media, as a critical stakeholder in peace building, to safeguard Ghana’s political stability, and desist from offering their platforms to politicians who consider their personal gains as paramount above that of the nation.
He made open the desire expressed by “Socioserve-Ghana”, a local NGO working in the area of governance, peace and security, to organise capacity building training for members of the committee, and also support their activities in promoting non-violent elections.
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