General News of Saturday, 30 January 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Stop politicizing election petition hearing – Gyampo to NPP, NDC

Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo

Professor Ransford Gyampo, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana has spoken against the politicization of proceedings of the 2020 election petition being heard by the Supreme Court.

In an interview with Asaase radio, Professor Gyampo was worried that the process has already polarized the country, a politicization of same could deepen the cracks.

He charged the spokespersons for the two parties to refrain from making commentaries that tend to cause further divisions among Ghanaians.

“We are overly polarized and partisan to the point that people who are professionals, whose livelihoods do not depend on partisan politics, all of a sudden would want to sound partisan in everything they do,” Prof Gyampo said.

He added: “Immediately after the court [hearing], we all see and we all watch what goes on there, but you have some people from the NDC, they will come and give a certain partisan slant to whatever has taken place.”

“You have professional people from the NPP, they would also come and give very partisan [views] and some of them casting needless innuendos and insinuations, aspersion and taunting other people in a manner that provokes needless tension in the body politics.”

“I think that they should be sensitive to the situation in which we find ourselves in now. We are a very polarized people, election has been held, some people are not happy with the results, they have gone to court; when people are bitter and are not happy the least you should do is to taunt them,” he said.

Gyampo further urged Ghanaians to appreciate the peace they enjoy and not allow any political party to plunge the country into chaos.