TIME and again there have been calls on Ghanaians to safeguard and preserve the peace being enjoyed in the country. These calls have, to a very great extent, been heeded and taken seriously, considering the fact that we have come out of four successful elections since 1992 unscathed.
However, what is happening around us in terms of conflicts singles us out as the only oasis in the sub-region, if not the entire African continent.
Protecting our peace is, therefore, essential, especially as we head for another general election. We must do everything to make it violence-free because conflict will be a nemesis if we allow ourselves to be engulfed in it.
What has occurred in countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kenya, Somalia and Zimbabwe, just to mention a few, should send strong signals to us not to take our peace for granted.
Various factors account for conflicts. These include resource allocation, religion, chieftaincy disputes, ethnicity and power struggle, which is the harbinger of elections.
Luckily for us, our country has been spared this problem, which is why we have been touted as a showpiece of good governance and democracy in the world.
The skirmishes of conflicts in communities like Dagbon, Buipe, Anloga, Bawku, among other places, should alert us to be on our guard so that the conflicts do not escalate and then spill over into other areas to disturb our otherwise peaceful atmosphere.
For this reason, it is welcome news that systematic studies on all hot spots of conflict are being carried out by security operatives to enable the government to deal with them before the December elections.
Addressing a forum to discuss ways to consolidate the peace in the country, the Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen, announced that the move formed part of measures to ensure that the security services worked timeously and within the law to ensure free and fair elections.
We can complement the efforts of the security apparatus if politicians show decorum in their campaigns and are mindful that in every game or competition there is bound to be a winner, as well as the vanquished. It is in this regard that they should address themselves to the issues and not poison the atmosphere with hate speech.
The DAILY GRAPHIC implores the electorate, especially the youth, to remember that tolerance and general comportment in the run-up to, during and after the elections holds the key to maintaining the peace.
The attitude and general behaviour of the people will depend on the critical role that the media play because of the media’s influence in shaping opinion and aiding in making informed choices.
Therefore, the media should be circumspect and discard sensationalism in order not to beat the war drums or serve as messengers of any parochial interest which has the tendency to put the country in flames.
The DAILY GRAPHIC reminds all that the December polls are just a contest for the leadership of the country. Anything to the contrary that they are a life-and-death affair will be a slippery road to anarchy.
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