Since the beginning of the year, different groups of people and individuals, civil society organisations, political party activists, functionaries and religious groups have expressed concern over the need for all Ghanaians to exercise decorum during the run-up to Election 2008 in order to safeguard the peace and tranquillity that has been enjoyed in the country since independence.
These concerns have not come out of a vacuum but from informed sources, especially reports of post-election violence that had rocked some countries on the continent, particularly Kenya and Zimbabwe, which are still fresh in our minds.
In most of these cases, the consequences for the citizenry, especially women and children, have been grave and in some cases the trauma that accompanied the mayhem is yet to be resolved to eliminate the psychological effects on the people.
It is, therefore, gratifying that just last week the Immediate Past Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Michael K. Ntumy, implored the leadership of political parties and their teeming supporters to concentrate their energies and resources during their campaigns on their strengths and capabilities, instead of emphasising the weaknesses and shortcomings of their opponents.
Apostle Dr Ntumy recalled the crude politics of rancour, mudslinging and divisiveness that characterised the pre-independence and independence eras and stressed that with the level of enlightenment prevailing in Ghana and the rest of the world, those obscene scenes had no place in our political life.
The Daily Graphic identifies itself with Apostle Ntumy’s position and reminds Ghanaians to engage in decent electioneering towards December 7.
We concede that with 76 days to Election 2008, the political temperature is heightening, but that should not make us reckless in our thoughts and utterances. We must not lose sight of the fact that contesting for the same political position does not make us enemies.
What our politicians must not forget is that all the sweet promises and great policies and programmes that they have outlined for this country are targeted at improving the lot of the people they all pledge to serve. Therefore, what will be at stake if, at the end of the day, these politicians, through their unguarded actions, compromise the peace of the state?
It is time political leaders and party activists remained focused to deal with the issues that will impact positively on the lives of the people and eventually transform the economy for the better.
The Daily Graphic believes that our politicians do not need to inflame passions, descend into the gutter and malign their political opponents, without any basis, in their efforts to win the electorate to their side.
It is an undeniable fact that since Ghana opted for democratic governance, we have succeeded in proving to the whole world that we are the beacon of hope for Africa and it is our wish to remain the most treasured country on the continent.
We must also learn from the mistakes of our neighbours on the continent who have failed to allow democracy to thrive in their countries.
This is the right time to prove to the world that we have made strides in our democratic governance and that there can be no turning back. Nobody should be misled by misguided politicians who have nothing to offer the good people of the country. Ghanaians are discerning and they will tolerate only those who have the country at heart, not those whose utterances divide our ranks.
The Daily Graphic calls on the electorate to reject those who mount political platforms to pour scorn and insults on their opponents and instead rally behind those who will mobilise them to fight their common enemies of poverty, disease and ignorance.
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