Ghanaians must do away with extreme partisanship — Dr Antwi-Danso
He blamed the media for giving currency to the unhealthy partisan political postures exhibited by politicians.
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Speaking with the Daily Graphic at a ceremony to mark the 24th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Accra, he said it was important for Ghana to learn from the Rwandan example where despite the killings of more than one million people through ethnic conflict, the people still forged ahead to develop their country.
Dr Antwi-Danso said the people of Rwanda had settled their disputes and reconciled with one another for the development of their country.
Consequently, he said, Rwanda was witnessing massive economic development and infrastructure transformation.
The commemoration, held on the theme: "Remember, Unite, Renew", was for the Rwandans to reflect on the proposed theme and renew their resolve to stand against genocide and its ideology.
Ghana's challenges
Dr Antwi-Danso, therefore, urged Ghanaians to settle their chieftaincy, tribal and political differences and unite to develop the country.
He also asked the media to learn from the Rwandan example where hate statements echoed in the media led to the massacre of more than one million people.
He further asked the media to be circumspect in the kinds of messages they disseminated or allowed to be transmitted through their channels.
Rwandan consulate
The Honorary Consul of Rwanda to Ghana, Professor Clement Dzidonu, said the remembrance of the genocide was to draw a lesson that ethnic conflict was not good for the development of any country.
He said with the reconciliation of the people in Rwanda, the country had achieved economic successes with a rapid transformation in infrastructure.
For instance, Prof. Dzidonu said Rwanda was a world leader in terms of electronic governance, while Kigali was adjudged as one of the cleanest cities in the world.
More partnerships
The Chairman of the Rwandan Community in Ghana, Mr Gatete Bernardin, called for increased cooperation and partnerships to confront genocide since it was against humanity.
He urged countries to institute legal mechanisms "that sanction all genocide actions and denial and to speed up in bringing perpetrators to justice."
Mr Bernardin said after the end of the genocide, the immediate strategy was to establish peace and security, as well constructing Rwanda from the scratch.
