The National Peace Council (NPC) has inaugurated a13-member committee to monitor the adherence and compliance of its code of conducts for political parties and their activists.
The move is to help minimise, if not eradicate, vigilantism from the body politics of the country ahead of this year’s elections.
The 13-member committee is chaired by Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih from the NPC, with other members such as Brig Gen Timothy Ba-Taa-Banah of the National Security, Benjamin Bano-Bioh from the Electoral Commission (EC), Patrick Richard Okine of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), and Samuel Yeboah of the Small Arms Commission.
The rest are Dr. Emmanuel Birikorang of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), ACP Victoria Yamoah of the Ghana Police Service, William Yamoah of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Abraham Amaliba of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Remy Paa Kow Edmundson of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Sunday Afolabi Alao (IRI), Dr. Festus Aubyn of WANEP and representative from the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
The committee was formed after a successive consultation and engagement with political parties and other electoral stakeholders.
Inaugurating the committee, the Board Chairman of NPC, Rev. Dr. Adu Gyamfi asked members to proffer advice to the National Peace Council to carry out its mandate of ensuring strict adherence to the Code of Conduct for political parties and actors.
According to him, the Council is committed to ensuring peace before, during and after the December 7 elections, adding that the NPC, after the 2020 elections, received support from the Commonwealth Secretariat, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Ghana to undertake a peace project.
According to him, the key outcomes of the Ada dialogue project include the need to strengthen election governance, transparency and credibility, as well as to improve election security, peaceful coexistence and greater political tolerance.
Others are the recognition of the supremacy of national interest over partisan political interest, improved capacity and orientation of the media towards promotion of peaceful election, and promoting inclusiveness of participation of women, youth and persons with disability in political governance.
He revealed that the dialogue had charged the NPC with critical responsibilities including, taking urgent steps to facilitate the return of the NDC to the Intra Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
“The total number of cases being handled by the NPC has increased from 298 to 703, with more cases from chieftaincy and land-related cases other than political cases,” he disclosed.
Mr. Adu Gyamfi revealed that they need an amount of $1 million to undertake election-related activities, which includes stakeholder’s engagement and acquisition of logistics among others, disclosing that some donors have come to help.
By Janet Odei Amponsah