Flagbearer of NDC, John Dramani Mahama
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has questioned the commitment of stakeholders to peace ahead of the 2024 election.
According to him, events and happenings during the last election in 2020 and the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence create considerable doubts about the genuineness of some of the commitments by the Nana Addo-led government.
He stressed that such pacts, though well-intentioned, could fail without concrete actions to ensure lasting peace.
“There is reason to be concerned that the signing of this pact, though well-intentioned, could amount to nothing if [it is] not followed by concrete actions to guarantee peace by the stakeholders and government.
“It is all well and good for us to commit to peace and recite beautiful platitudes. However, all efforts to build peace before, during, and after the 2024 elections would be futile if mistrust and insincerity persist. Mistrust arises when there is a disconnect between words and actions, compounded by gaslighting from those in authority,” he added.
Mahama wondered why the perpetrators of the election violence in 2020 had not been apprehended.
“We all recall the appalling spectacle of masked men acting on the orders of operatives of the government, shooting indiscriminately at innocent Ghanaians going about their legitimate electoral activity during that by-election. Some of the victims of that shooting incident remain incapacitated till now”, he stated.
He noted that the refusal by the government to act on the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission does not inspire confidence in Ghanaians that the government is committed to a peaceful process.
“The inaction of the government in the face of the murder of eight of our citizens during the last election cast a shadow of doubt on government commitment to maintain the peace. How are we to believe that such killings would not reoccur?” he asked.
JKB
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