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The leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have resolved to ensure peace before, during and after the 2024 elections in all six constituencies in the Bawku area.
The constituencies are Pusiga, Bawku Central, Garu, Tempane, Binduri and Zebilla. They decided on a joint communique between representatives of the two parties after a two-day engagement session to consolidate strategies for action towards ensuring peace in the Bawku area.
The engagement was organised by the Belim Wusa Development Agency (BEWDA), with funding assistance from the European Union (EU) through COGINTA-Ghana under the Preventing Electoral Violence and Providing Security to Northern Border Regions of Ghana (NORPREVSEC).
Reading the communique at the end of the engagement, the NDC Communications Officer for Bawku Central, Yussif Otumba, said both parties had resolved to organise a joint peace walk through the principal streets of Bawku, with the support of the security agencies.
He stated that the rank and file of the party have been urged to, henceforth, desist from inciting people against members of the opposing party, saying: “We recognise that we are seeking political power to better the fortunes of our people and we should be cooperating rather than antagonising each other”.
“Additionally, we recognise that the sanctity of the electoral processes is anchored on a peaceful atmosphere and processes at the polling stations,” they said and further assured the safety of polling agents across the six constituencies.
On the upcoming voter registration exercise, they appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to deploy at least four biometric registration kits, notably at the municipal EC office, as well as the Kuka/Zabugu, Mognori/Tampizua/Gentiga/Bador and North/South/West electoral areas in the Bawku Central Constituency.
This, they said, had become necessary to enable the EC to register all those who were not duly registered during the limited voter registration exercise last year due to disagreement over the creation of an additional registration centre within the town.
The EC has scheduled this year’s voter registration exercise to be conducted across the country from May 7 to May 27, 2024. Further, they appealed to traditional authorities, Members of Parliament, parliamentary candidates and other stakeholders to help in the realisation of the understanding reached by the parties for sustained peace in the Bawku area.
The Executive Secretary of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, Ali Anankpieng underscored the importance of the engagement with the two major political parties as they have a huge role to play towards de-escalating the Bawku conflict.
He called on the political parties to caution their supporters to desist from using intemperate language on social media and in their campaigns to ensure peace and security in the area.
The Executive Director, BEWDA, Peter Asaal, in an interview, expressed optimism that activities agreed upon to be carried out by the political parties would go a long way to bring peace during, before and after the elections.
