The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa FOSDA has commended the National Peace Council’s recommendations to the Government of Ghana, Security agencies, the electoral commission, political parties and other key stakeholders in the electoral process, post the 2020 voter registration exercise. The statement of the National Peace Council is a step in the right direction in promoting a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the impending Ghana 2020 elections.

‘We particularly support the call of the Peace Council to the Ghana Police Service, especially the Inspector General of Police to ‘expedite actions regarding the investigation into all the criminal matters which came up during the registration exercise’. All perpetrators of the said crime must be brought to book within the shortest possible time.

According to the Foundation the cases of violence reported during the registration exercise, leading to the death of 2 citizens is unacceptable. ‘By all standards Ghana has matured as a democracy and such acts of intolerance and violence as displayed during the just ended registration exercise not only dents the image of the country but also derails the peace and political stability we have worked so hard to build over the last 2 decades.

The recorded violent cases during the registration exercise though relatively minimal poses a threat to the December 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections if the Ghana police does not move swiftly to bring finality to those cases. ‘A swift action is critical to deter others from repeating similar actions and also to prevent reprisal attacks. It is important that going into the 2020 elections the police are seen as independent, acting fairly and promptly.  

We therefore endorse the suggestion of the Peace for the Ghana Police Service to establish a platform through which it can regularly inform and update citizens on security issues pertaining especially pertaining to the elections. Such a platform will go a long way to deter violence and criminal activities before, during and after the elections, it will also promote transparency and trust in the Police. We entreat the Police service not to write this suggestion aside but strongly consider it. 

We also call on the Ghana Police Service to strictly enforce all relevant laws, especially the recently passed Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 2019 (ACT 999). We are convinced that a strict enforcement of this law and other relevant laws will go a long way to minimise violence in the December 2020 elections.   

FOSDA urge the leaders of the Political parties especially, the NDC and the NDC to encourage their members and follow to conduct themselves peacefully and avoid hate speech