Participants at a forum in Sunyani on peace-building and tolerance in Ghana said the country would be the winner in the upcoming Supreme Court judgment on the 2012 presidential election petition.

They have, therefore, called on Ghanaians to reject any attempt by whatever group to misinterpret the verdict slated for August 29 into “a winner/loser situation, for Ghana is the winner”.

This was contained in a communiqué signed by Mr Issah A. Nasagri, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), issued at the end of the forum.

It was organised by the Sunyani Municipal Directorate of the NCCE, in collaboration with the European Union (EU), on Friday.

The day’s public education forum, attended by about 50 participants including representatives from the security agencies, Civil Society Organisations, religious groups and the media, was meant to build the capacity of participants to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court.

The communiqué appealed to political parties and all Ghanaians to respect the rule of law and abide by public order regulations.

It expressed the view that the Supreme Court would dispense due justice in the matter.

Superintendent Samuel Yankey, Sunyani Municipal Police Commander, earlier addressed the forum on the Public Order Act, Act 419 (1994) and “Promotion of Tolerance among the People of Ghana”.

Mr Michael Amponsah, Deputy Regional Director of NCCE, educated participants on “The Election Adjudication Process - The Role of Stakeholders and Causes of Violent Conflicts and its Effects on the Society”.

Reverend father Martin Amankwaa, an Agricultural Science Lecturer at the Sunyani Polytechnic and a member of the Regional Peace Council, who presided, urged participants to act as agents of peace and unity in their communities.

He said: “We have been commissioned as special peace-building and tolerance infecting agents in our communities or wherever we find ourselves in relation to the soon to be announced verdict on the 2012 presidential election petition before the Supreme Court”.