‘Make violence unprofitable for perpetrators’
The second in the series of the Graphic Town Hall Meetings aimed at deepening good governance has taken place at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
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The meetings are part of the Graphic Communications Group Limited efforts to create a platform for political parties and their constituents to share views for the common good of the people.
“Good governance: A key to development and growth in Ghana” is the theme for the town hall meetings.
Participants in the Sunyani meeting stressed the need for the state to make it unprofitable for perpetrators of violence to engage in the act before, during and after the elections.
The participants, including political party representatives, were of the view that although the President had pardoned the “Montie trio”, the ruling by the Supreme Court on the matter had made careless talk on the air waves a high risk business which must guide political discourse in the country.
They, therefore, urged radio discussion panel members and hosts to guard against insults, lies and personality attacks.
These were the highlights of a question and answer session at the meeting at which three political parties—the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Progressive People’s Party(PPP) and the Convention People’s Party(CPP)—made known their preparations towards free, fair and peaceful elections.
Representatives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National People’s failed to show up although they had indicated that they would participate in the discussion.
The programme has already been held in Bolgatanga and will move to Koforidua on September 7 and Cape Coast on September 14,2016.
Leading the discussion on the need for peace before, during and after the elections, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) , Mr Issah Nasagri , noted that political parties “have regrettably made perpetrators of violence honourable people in our society”.
He said those people became leaders through their nuisance values and “we as a people or nation, are forced to accept them as our leaders”.
That, he said, was a bad example as the only way perpetrators of violence knew how to lead was through violence.
Other discussants were Mr Ali Dayindey - Regional Communications Director of CPP, Mr Kwame Eshun- PPP Regional Research Officer, Madam Comfort Ackah-NDC’s Deputy Communications Officer. Mr Abeaba Matthew Abereniya who represented the Trades Union Congress is also the Regional Officer of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union