Election 2020: Peace Council member ‘hurt’ over needless attacks

A member of the National Peace Council (NPC) has expressed sadness over verbal ‘bullets’ directed at institutions of justice and peace by aggrieved persons.

The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong–Manso, who serves on the Council, believes they are criticised unfairly.

He considers certain utterances and actions against the NPC and the country’s law courts as misplaced.

“Whenever I see people chastising the Supreme Court and the legal system, it really pains me, as the head of a church. So let us desist from that,” he pleaded.

Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong–Manso was speaking at the 18th annual thanksgiving service of the First Sky Group, a Ghana business conglomerate.

As one of the invited guests at the event held at the Accra International Conference Centre on Sunday, January 3, he stated that the members of the Peace Council are “working tirelessly at the perils of their lives” hence criticisms should cease.

He emphasised that the absence of statements or public commentary on certain issues does not mean the Council is idle.

Attacks on Peace Council

Over the years, the Peace Council has been at the receiving end of verbal attacks over what particularly opposition parties consider as inaction on the part of the council.

More recently, some members of the NDC had pointed accusing fingers at the National Peace Council for failing to ensure the disbandment of what they said were party militia attached to the governing NPP.

Some supporters of the opposition NDC also poured out their anger at members of the Council recently at the party headquarters in Accra after the December elections.

The Peace Council had gone there to speak to leaders of the party who had refused to accept the 2020 election results declared in favour of the governing NPP.

The NDC claims its flagbearer, former President John Mahama was victorious or at best the elections should go into a run-off and not the outright victory the Electoral Commission (EC) declared for President Nana Akufo-Addo.

But the Peace Council members “were attacked and two of our vehicles were damaged,” Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong–Manso said.

“Most of our members are traumatised, because the attacks were physical and in some situation, gunshots were fired whilst we were there,” Chairperson of the National Peace Council, Rev Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, recounted at the time of the incident.

The NDC embarked on a series of protests to register their displeasure and filed a petition at the court to challenge the results.

Professor Paul Frimpong–Manso is delighted that “sanity has prevailed and former President John Dramani Mahama has taken his plea to the court”.

He is of the view that being democrats and peace-loving individuals the former President and re-elected President Nana Akufo-Addo would accept the verdict of the Supreme Court.

But even before the apex court determines the case, the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has petitioned the Chief Justice to axe Supreme Court Judge, Justice Jones Dotse, from all election-related hearings and adjudication.

According to ASEPA, “this has become necessary due to high rumours circulating among the corridors of power that the learned Supreme Court Judge is being considered for the position of Speaker of Parliament in the 8th Parliament…”.

They do not believe that Justice Dotse would be neutral if empanelled to sit on the election petition.

A Speaker would be elected on January 7 before the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect.

The Supreme Court has set a maximum of 42 days to deal with the petition.

Caution to the media

With the country heading into days reminiscent of the election petition in 2012 characterised by uncertainties and tension, Rev. Professor Frimpong–Manso wants the press to cautious in their reportage.

“Let us give the Supreme Court the opportunity to do their work,” he insisted.

He wants social commentators to hold on to their pre-judicial comments and “trust our legal luminaries to deliver”.