2024 Peace Accord: NDC’s demands are legitimate and must be addressed

Justice, they say, is the bedrock of peace.

In view of this, it is important to state unequivocally that if we are ready to make peace as a country, then the six conditions that have been requested by the NDC leadership through a negotiation approach, should be easy for us as a peace-loving country to fulfil.

Beginning from the demand of full implementation of the recommendations by Emile Short commission on the Ayawaso by-election incident, prosecution of those who killed the eight people during the 2020 general election, prosecution of persons involved in the illegal printing of voters’ ballot papers, and transparently, honestly, and publicly addressing the missing equipment at the Electoral Commission’s office.

Furthermore, the demand from President Nana Addo to publicly declare to accept the will of the people in the upcoming 2024 general elections, and the request for the signatures of the Chief Justice, Attorney-General, and the Inspector General of Police on the peace pact document before the NDC sign, are all realistic, achievable, and under no circumstance should a country like Ghana that touts itself as beacon of peace in Africa, not be able to collectively address it.

Borrowing a quote from an unknown scholar, “Trust is built when someone is willing to be vulnerable and the other person honours that vulnerability by not taking advantage of it to harm him.”

On the back of this quote, it is important that the Peace Council takes a swift interest in engaging all critical stakeholders mentioned in the NDC’s request to set a fertile ground for the country to create a sense of security, safety, reliability, and trust for peace in the upcoming election.

Anthony Acquaye
Security and Conflict Management Expert
Centre for Security Dialogue and Peace Advocacy