Political Parties call for GCBC’s intervention to curb political intolerance in the country
Some representatives of Political Parties that participated in the 2016 general elections, have called on members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference as a matter of urgency to add their voice to the recent negative happenings in the country.
They appealed to the Bishops to speak out on national issues to help stop the political wrangling in the country.
According to them, with the intervention of the Bishops, things would change so that Ghana would continue to be a shining example to other African countries as far as democratic credentials are concerned.
They said the intervention of Religious Bodies and with the co-operation of the Political Parties, the 2016 elections did not see much violence. They however expressed worry about certain negative events after the handing over of power to the new government.
The Parties mentioned cases where some people were being harassed at their work places, homes and other public places because of an outcome of an election, a situation they felt should be nipped in the bud.
They also raised the issues of the removal of public officers, seizure of public properties, security after elections, and the sacking of Police Recruits.
They made the call at a post-election meeting with the GCBC at the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) last week, to evaluate what went on well during the 2016 elections that could be consolidated and issues that went wrong which needed to be corrected in the 2020 general elections.
The meeting convened by the GCBC, was also to discuss how Religious leaders could contribute more effectively in promoting social cohesion by building on the positive gains made so far and also avoid the isolated slippages experienced before, during and after the elections.
Political Parties present at the Meeting were the National Democratic Congress led by Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Vice Chairman and Director of Elections and Mr. Kofi Adams, National Organiser; Convention People’s Party (CPP) led by Prof. Edmund Delle, National Chairman the National Democratic Party (NDP) represented by Mr. Charles Opoku. All the Political Parties were invited, but only the three Parties turned up.
The Bishops at the meeting included Most Revs. Philip Naameh, Archbishop of Tamale and President of the GCBC; Charles Palmer-Buckle, Archbishop of Accra and Vice President of the Conference; Most Rev. Matthias Nketsiah and Gabriel Justice Anokye, Archbishops of Cape coast and Kumasi respectively; and Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, immediate past President of the GCBC.
The Meeting was part of the Forum for Actions on Inclusion, Transparency and Harmony (FAITH) on Ghana’s 2016 Elections Project funded by STAR-Ghana, a pool funding mechanism that empowers Civil Society and Parliament in Governance of Public Good and Service delivery.
The Political Party leaders expressed their gratitude to the Catholic Bishops for their lead role in national matters including elections, which had helped improve the democratic dispensation and peaceful co-existence of the country.
They assured the Bishops that as Political Parties, they would continue to work and stay together for the success of the nation especially in ensuring that corruption was reduced to the barest minimum if not eradicated totally.
They noted that in spite of their different political ideologies, they were determined and committed to the peace of Ghana.
Archbishop Naameh commended Political Parties and other stakeholders for their collaboration with the Conference to ensure that peace prevailed before, during and after the 2016 general elections.
He said the peaceful nature of the elections had further deepened democracy in the country and thanked the Political Parties for exercising maturity and the diverse roles played to secure one of the most peaceful elections in Ghana since 1992.
“Before the elections, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, collectively or individually, addressed our messages of peace to you at special meetings, places of worship and through the Media. We are happy you heeded our calls for decorum and attitudes of peace and we wish to commend you much for this,” he added.
He said that the GCBC after the declaration of election result by the EC paid courtesy calls on former President John Dramani Mahama and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to assure them of their support as a Church.
Archbishop Naameh appealed to Ghanaians to recognise the role Religious Bodies had played and continue to play for the good of the country.
He called on civil society to support with prayer all efforts at ensuring peace and stability in the country and the need to acknowledge the role of Religious Leaders in promoting and sustaining peace.
