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Media, Security services must cast nets wider

As the day of judgment in the ongoing election petition draws nearer, there have been calls for peace from various sections of the populace.

Religious groups, traditional rulers and the National Peace Council have all been on various platforms, spreading the message of peace in the country after the verdict of the ‘nine wise men’ is pronounced.

Even the leadership of political parties has claimed to be educating their membership in this direction. Laudable, but as dynamic as human nature can be, there is the need for some pragmatic measures to be put in place to ensure that no violence erupts in the country after the Supreme Court verdict is pronounced.

Throughout the hearing of the petition, it has been observed that the attention of everyone, especially the media and the security services, has been focussed on a spot on the High Street, the premises of the Supreme Court of Ghana and its environs.

Police personnel were there in their numbers and searched every person who entered the premises, including lawyers and other officials of the courts. On one occasion I was surprised to see every portion of the vehicle of the chief bailiff of the specialised High Courts being avidly searched. This is a top ranking judicial service officer who, I can bet the police officers, saw everyday on the premises and could identify. This is not a call for anyone to take anything for granted but the question is: Is the Supreme Court premises the only and most important point of focus and attention for the prevention of violence during the hearing?  I think it is not.

On the day of judgment everyone can be sure to see the most watertight security presence on the premises of the domus. Every act of violence right on the premises can surely be dealt with. More so, no one can expect our seasoned politicians, who are the major players in the whole process to be engaged in or countenance any acts of violence on that day.

Indeed they have variously pledged to accept the verdict of the highest adjudicating authority of the land, whichever way it goes. We have all saluted Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for choosing to resort to a constitutional petition instead of violence; after all, there are many ways of killing a cat, and of course, all die be die. Indeed, how ideal it would be to see them together on the same platform to declare their acceptance of the results, having regard to their reserved rights to further redress by way of review.

Thus the Supreme Court premises, in my view, can never be the epicenter of any eruption of violence. Violence, if any, would erupt from flashpoints across the country and  supporters of politicians or political parties. That being the case, something must be done to unearth all breeding grounds of violence in the country and adequate security measures put in place to prevent violence.

This is where the role of the media and the security agencies come most handy. The media has a duty of investigating factors likely to promote violence across the country and relaying same to the security services for appropriate preventive action.

It is too late in the day for the media to still focus its attention on discussing the likely verdict of the Supreme Court, the dynamics of due process, and like matters; some of which may themselves incite violence. These discussions, which are focused on the Supreme Court must highly be discouraged especially on the aftermath of the verdict as the court becomes functus officio and may not directly use its powers of committal for contempt to preserve calm.

Media practitioners should cast their eyes and ears wider, even beyond the borders of Ghana, and report on activities and groupings likely to incite and fan the flames of violence so that the security agencies can nip them in the bud.

In the same vein the security agencies in designing their strategies, must extend their views beyond the surroundings of the Martyrs of the Rule of Law to every part of the country.

Let us remember that violence from the remotest areas of the country and from the minutest causes may extend to every part of the country and become a national disaster. While we conscientise our people and preach  peace, in waiting for the verdict of this most significant constitutional lawsuit in our history, let us not avoid to putting in place, pragmatic strategies to ensure a violence-free Ghana after the verdict.

Choosing the leviathan has never been this historic for us and we must beat our chests proudly for the peace and discipline we have so far exhibited. But the judgment day is yet to come, and I wish all Ghanaians the blessings of liberty.

By Oliver K. A. Dzeble/Ghana
The writer is a private legal practitioner.
Email: [email protected]

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