Politicians urged to not plunge Ghana into chaos
A former Bishop of the Tema Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana, Rt Rev. Samuel .O Achamfuo-Yeboah, has called on all stakeholders, especially political parties, to allow the Electoral Commission (EC) to do its work and fulfil its constitutional mandate without any interference.
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In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tema, Rt Rev. Achamfuo-Yeboah bemoaned recent unsavory remarks made against the EC Chairperson by various stakeholders in the country’s electoral system and called on those who are dissatisfied with the commission’s performance to seek peaceful means such as the law courts for redress.
“The EC Chairperson has had various unsavory things said about her, including statements to the effect that she is doing the bidding of those who appointed her and that her mother was recently buried in Nigeria, so she will flee there should a civil war occur in Ghana,” Rt Rev. Achamfuo-Yeboah said.
The clergyman, who is presently a Senior Assistant Registrar of the Methodist University College, Ghana, urged political parties to have confidence and trust in the EC to deliver the upcoming general election.
“Let me here and now state that the political parties have not helped us. They have divided us and created tensions and alarm in us (Ghanaians). People of different political parties are perceived as enemies and political party members consider issues that are unfavourable to their parties as injurious to their well-being and which they must be ready to resist,” he said.
Mind your language
Rt Rev. Achamfuo-Yeboah noted that films and stories of the consequences of civil wars and conflicts demonstrated that civil conflicts and wars, often arising out of electoral perceptions and misunderstandings, must be avoided, since the consequences had been horrible, violent and disastrous.
“We must, therefore, as Ghanaians, do all we can; indeed, sacrifice all we can, to ensure tranquillity for Ghana before, during and after the November 7, 2016 election and to have the people of Ghana to live our normal peaceful lives and to pursue our responsible and legal objectives,” he said.
He said statements to the effect that Ghana would burn or disaster awaited Ghana, or people would die if one thing or another was not done were unnecessary and not good for Ghana’s well-being. Those statements, he maintained, incite, excite and pushed people to unlawful behaviour and could not be said to be responsible statements.
“Those statements border on criminality and in other countries would be investigated, regardless of who made it,” he said.
Winner takes all
Rev. Achamfuo-Yeboah said since 1993, the winning political party had been the country’s major employer, including some Council of State members, ministers, corporate directors and heads, public and civil service directors and heads, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, special assistants to ministers and directors, high commissioners, etc. hence, party members desirous of positions go all lengths, including fair and foul means, for electoral victories for their parties so they could get appointments and other gains.
He added that on the other hand, no party member wished his or her party to lose and go into opposition, so some party members, fearful of electoral frauds and malpractices, went to the extent of threatening to raise hell if the elections did not favour them.
