The National Peace Council of Ghana met with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, to discuss the party’s refusal to sign the peace accord for the 2024 election.
NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah had cited the accord’s ineffectiveness in preventing violence in the 2020 elections and the Peace Council’s silence on holding those responsible accountable.
Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salin, a Peace Council board member, urged the NDC to reconsider and participate in the council’s activities, assuring them that they would see the efforts being made to ensure a peaceful election if they get involved.
“Give us the benefit of the doubt. And the brakes that you have applied, whether they are hydraulic or manual, release them a little bit and give us the breathing space to be able to move a little bit, while you also watch and see what we do.
“Perchance you may come to agree with us that they are making an effort to do this and that. And that should be the approach of all of us. That is simply what we are actually asking of you,” he said.
“We just want you to accept us. I believe that one of the best things this country has done for itself is putting in place a Peace Council. It is for us to ensure that the Peace Council lives up to its calling, ”he added
NDC Chairman Asiedu Nketiah reiterated his disappointment with the Peace Council’s silence on the government’s inaction regarding the 2020 election violence, which resulted in deaths and injuries.
He emphasized that the NDC is not expecting the Peace Council to prosecute those responsible, but rather to publicly advocate for justice and accountability for the victims, highlighting the need for the council to speak out against the lack of action in addressing the violence.
