We’ll engage NDC on peace declaration boycott – National Peace Council

On August 16, 2024, 3:19 AM

The National Peace Council has said it will continue direct engagement with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to address the party’s concerns ahead of the December 7 polls.

This follows the announcement by NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia that the party will not sign any peace declaration in the lead-up to the elections.

According to the Mr Asiedu Nketia, such agreements have not been effective in maintaining peace across the country.

“Signing a peace declaration doesn’t mean anything to the party, as previous pacts have not yielded any real results,” Asiedu Nketia stated.

He said rather than relying solely on symbolic gestures, proactive efforts are needed to avert violence.

“If you allow violence to brew, it will happen whether you sign a declaration or not. That’s why, more than a year ago, I started talking about the need to remove the building blocks for a violent election,” he explained.

In response, the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Reverend Ernest Adu Gyamfi, stressed that the NDC’s decision to boycott the peace declaration does not signal a risk of violence.

“In the first place, I wouldn’t say that their refusal to sign the peace pact is a cause for violence. I believe these are just initial concerns, and as a Council focused on negotiation and mediation, we take them seriously. Our doors remain open for dialogue to understand and address the legitimate concerns raised by the NDC.

“If the NDC has concerns, we are ready to listen. We have already arranged a meeting to hear their perspectives and work towards resolving these issues,” he added.

The first time political parties were made to sign peace pacts ahead of a general election was in the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections which President Akufo-Addo and former President John Mahama keenly contested.

That was subsequently replicated in 2016 and 2020 between the same actors.

Story By Sandra Adei Djanie