Opinions of Monday, 17 September 2012

Columnist: Biney, Stephen A.

Intervention – An Urgent And Passionate Appeal To Mr. Kofi Annan

Greetings to the interventionist Mr. Kofi Annan the former United Nations Secretary General I have been monitoring the political landscape of Ghana since my school years in Ghana and onto this day in the United States.

I recently visited Ghana, my natural and beloved motherland. Whiles in Ghana, I recognized how Ghanaians are proud of the difficult journey of our embryonic multiparty democratic dispensation.

Ghanaians have demonstrated to be the beacon of multiparty democracy in the Sub – Sahara Africa. The World has witnessed the unprecedented and unparalleled elections held in Ghana without any violence. Currently, the gravity of the serious growing political tension in Ghana has made me concluded that if safety measures are not taken to prevent severe hostilities before, during and after this year’s elections, Ghana’s unmatched democratic elections records in Africa are most likely to be discredited. Yet, the irresponsible attitudes of both size of the political divide in Ghana, make me very disillusioned about the comportments of debating political ideologies in Ghana. The evil political rhetoric’s the parties are engaged in, in regards to the forth coming December 7 th , 2012 general elections are recipes for violence.

Some of these ill expressions with the fragmentations among political parties, civil societies as well as ethnicity pose significant challenges that can trigger grave violent conflicts before, during and after the December 7 th 2012 elections. Therefore, the necessary precautions and care must be taken to manage, denounce and deprecate the immoral pronouncements from any party or organization. The society must put in greater efforts to respond to the warning signs as a way to preempt the eruption of deadly election ruckus. As Ghanaians, we cannot afford the price of violence because we have no other home. We deserve tranquility and stability from the political leaderships.

It is from the above critical challenges and serious repercussions that, I would like to challenge Ghana’s own son the conflict interventionist Mr. Kofi Annan to use his vast adroit conflict management experiences to help solve or prevent anything that will raft violence before, during and after the December 7 th 2012 elections. My suggestion to Mr. Annan is; Committee must be constituted for the prevention of conflicts and violence’s, with Mr. Anna as the head. The committee must include the following groups; - Leaders of all political parties - The heads of all religious groups- Former Presidents - Head of National House of Chiefs - National Security - National Peace Council. - Member of Supreme Court - Member of Council of Council of State.

Ghanaian politicians you must be committed; think about Ghana today, tomorrow and the future and stop your egocentricity.

I hope all Ghanaians will join me to promote peaceful general elections come December 7 th 2012.

Ghanaians do not sit in the issue but speak out. The likely coming election violence is not academic, it is credible. Suggestions and contributions towards election free crusade are welcome. God bless Ghana. Thank you all.

By: Stephen Asante Biney

Email: bineyak@yahoo.com U.S.A