Politics of Friday, 4 May 2012

Source: GNA

Heads of the Security Councils’ of MMDAs should be non-partisan - Asamoah

The Chairman of the Kumasi Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church has called for a second look at the present arrangement where metropolitan, municipal and district security councils are chaired by partisan political appointees.

Mr Franklin Asamoah, himself a lawyer, said this does not make for fairness in the application of the law.

This he said, is to blame for the situation where members of ruling political parties tend to get away with acts of misconduct.

He was speaking at an annual workshop of the commission at the Christian Village in Kumasi.

“The role of the Christian as a good citizen to promote peace before, during and after the elections” was the theme and it brought together more than 40 participants from the various parishes in the Kumasi archdiocese of the church.

Mr Asamoah asked people serving in leadership positions to put the general good of society and welfare of the people ahead of personal comfort.

He encouraged all not to shy away from politics to help assure the nation of a better and secured future.

Mr Lord Larbi, Deputy Regional Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), urged the church to use its enormous influence with the people to promote peace, during and after the December polls.

It should help the political parties and their followers to be tolerant of each other.

Mr Lawrence Sarpong, Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of Electoral Commission (EC), appealed to the politicians to accept to play by the rules of fairness, honesty and transparency.

The security agencies should also remain firm, even handed and professional in the performance of their duties.

Mr Sarpong pleaded with the judiciary to deal swiftly with electoral offences bought before it to prevent people from losing confidence in the justice system and taking the law into their own hands.**