INTER-PARTY DIALOGUE COMMITTEE INAUGURATED

What is the essence of Leadership without Peace? To chalked peaceful elections, there is the need for tolerance, commitment, unity among the various political party and love for one’s nation.
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the West Gonja District, has therefore inaugurated the inter- party dialogue committee following the directives form the NCCE headquarters to help promote peaceful elections in the upcoming Presidential 2012 elections.

The District Director of NCCE, Mr Stanley Z. Mahama, in his welcome address said, maintaining peace is a collective action of all, and everybody must come together to promote peace in the district and country as a whole.
He said, peace must come from within before extending it to a neighbour. Everybody must do well to enjoy the peace we already have within and must also try to allow others enjoy it by abiding the rules and regulations of this country. He urged the whole public to keep this year’s elections from violence and misconduct.

Mr. Mahama, who introduced the ‘Political Parties Code of Conduct 2012’ to the various party executives, informed them that, they are expected to study the code of conduct and must do well to abide by the rules and regulations guided by the code.
He said, the code will guide activities of political parties and will aid the entrenchment of genuine multi-party democracy in the country.

Again, he stated that the party executives must give the right information to their party members, explaining that, conflicts are generated because of the information received from opinion leaders in the society.
Besides, Mr. Mahama took the opportunity to highlight on the biometric registration. He urged them to encourage everybody that qualifies for the registration to participate in the biometric registrations come March 24th, 2012.
The Chairman for the occasion, Mr. S. Y. Inusah, (District Coordinating Director) in his remarks said, politics should not be about who hails the most insults, but it should be about peace, development, education, and health.
Mr. Inusah cautioned that, persons who consider politics as do and die affairs should desist from the action. Love for one, family and Ghana will prevent conflict. “We must therefore put love first in everything that we do” he said. Everything we do should be about Ghana, but not about Party A and Party B affairs” he added.
He also stated that, violence will not be the best way to win elections, but rather, understanding, commitment and patriotism. He said we must encouraged free and fair elections. He cautioned against double registrations.
The Inter-party dialogue committee was peacefully inaugurated with the collaboration of the traditional authorities, Christian Organizations, the District- Assembly, women and Youth groups, party executives and other heads of decentralized departments in the districts.
Again, the committee executives were also elected by the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee. Rev.Fr. Lazarus Annyereh the Director of Centre For Conflict Transformation And Peace Studies (CECOTAPS) was selected as the committee chairman, Mr Bedi John Boscho from CHRAJ, as the secretary, Organizer was Majeed Issahaku- NPP, and treasurer was Madame Awata Adam Salamatu- NDC and also Madam Alijata Haruna as a lady of the committee executives.
However, the chairman for the committee, Rev. Fr. Lazarus Annyereh, in his acceptance speech said, 2012 elections is the concern for all, and its successfulness must also be the aim for all. Party pluralism will not be effective without peace.
Rev. Fr. Annyereh, said peace is a gift from God and should not therefore be destroyed. He explained that, Peace is important for development and to promote Peace means respecting the rule of law, adding that Corruption and aggression does not promote peace.
He exclaimed that, Ghanaians must remember Nkrumah’s words. “Nkrumah’s desire was to unite Africa, and we can only achieve what he was not able to achieve, by being in peace with everybody within our vicinity”.
He concluded by posing a rhetorical question to all Ghanaians saying, ‘What contribution can I make as a citizen of Ghana to promote Peaceful election during the 2012 elections?’ He explained that, by answering the question means contributing towards the peaceful elections.



By Shallom Lumor & Ms Regina Atule