Intra-party violence, disputed voters register recipe for conflict - Mahama

The leadership of the Peoples’ National Convention (PNC) led by its flagbearer Dr. Edward Nasigri Mahama, has enjoined former President Jerry Rawlings to bring his stature as the founder of the Fourth Republic of Ghana to bear on the 2016 general elections.

The party says there can be no better recipe for conflict than going into an election with a disputed voters’ register, endemic corruption and clear evidence of intra-party violence, and it behoved the former president and his successor, John Agyekum Kufuor, to lead Ghana out of the impending disaster.

Dr Edward Mahama who made the call during a courtesy visit to Rawlings on Wednesday, said as a Christian he was aware that “God reveals to redeem” and that the Bible teaches that “corruption and violence are two sides of the same coin.”

“Everybody in Ghana admits that corruption is endemic and we have already seen evidence of violence – intra-party evidence of violence, even in our own national delegates’ congress that we had in Wa, there was evidence of violence.

“So in the midst of all these intra-party violence and going into an election with a disputed voters register, I cannot imagine any better recipe for conflict, and as if we needed a catalyst for that conflict, as a nation we have unwittingly imported elements and agents of violence from the United States of America”, he said.

But Dr Mahama said there was hope of a certain Golden Years of Development for Ghana – one that will see the country turned from corruption, youth unemployment, poverty, ignorance and disease, if the PNC was voted into power.

“Your Excellency, it is with this hope of Golden Years ahead I came to you. God, history and posterity have made you the founder of the Fourth Republic of Ghana whether we like it or not, even whether you like it or not. Therefore I’m here on my own behalf and on behalf of the PNC and indeed on behalf of the good people of Ghana to charge you and former President Kufuor, the other pillar of the Fourth Republic, to lead Ghana out of the impending disaster of a disputed election register and the imported elements and agents of violence.”

PNC’s Election 2016 campaign theme

Under New Beginning, the PNC wants to be voted into power so it would restructure national institutions – civil and public services, education service, social security – to be responsive to the people.

Under New Deal for farmers, teachers and unemployed youths, he said the party would rollout new programmes to better the lot of the people, saying for instance that as a former rice farmer, he intends to lead farmers of Ghana to halve rice imports within three farming seasons, while under New Force, the PNC would work with the youths of 18 to 35 years to transform Ghana to see the golden years of Ghana’s development.

Former President Jerry Rawlings welcomed the visit as an honour and said the PNC’s strong message was also worth the attention of the leadership of the ruling National Democratic Congress and President John Mahama.

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He promised to play his part and urged the leadership of all political parties in the country to encourage their supporters to bring their personal integrity to bear on every aspect of national politics and into the 2016 elections.

He said they should avoid the use of provocative language and demand integrity across board – from political leaders, Christian groups and preachers, Muslim leaders and traditional leaders.

“I’m saying so because 2016 is going to be a very crucial year, it’s going to be a testing time for all of us. I don’t want to be as fatalistic as to suggest that it would be a make or break situation but, it is going to be a test for us as a people and I will play my part and do whatever I can to ensure the integrity of this process. I can only appeal to you the leaders to do the same, as you said, to ensure a very stable situation.”

Also in the PNC entourage was the Chairman, Bernard Mornah; the General Secretary, Atik Mohammed; the National treasurer, Adams Akane Adabengba; the Women Organiser, Janet Nabla; the National Organiser, Desmond Ntow; and the National Youth Organiser, Awudulai Issahaq;

The rest were Hajia Hajara Ali Boya, 3rd Vice Chairperson; Mohammed Haruna, member of the National Executive Committee; and Rev. Samuel Adjei Debrah, Advisor to Dr Mahama.

Source: Graphiconline