The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Michael Samson-Oje, has admonished Ghanaians to play an active role in preventing violence ahead of the November 7 presidential and parliamentary polls.

He cautioned that tensions were rising and there was a need for everyone to commit to maintaining peace in the build-up to another election to select leaders to manage the affairs of the country.

The CDS expressed displeasure about pockets of violence associated with the just-ended limited voter registration exercise in some constituencies.

Addressing a news conference in Accra together with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), John Kudalor, Samson-Oje cautioned the media not to exaggerate incidents that could potentially lead to an eruption of violence.

He said during the limited voter registration exercise, the military command received numerous calls about disturbances at some registration centres. According to him, personnel were deployed to the locations only to discover that the situation on the ground was not what had been described.

“Let us collectively put our power together to maintain the peace of the country during the elections and beyond. Let us together execute another successful election to the admiration of the continent and the whole world. Let us close ranks and make the whole world proud again,” he noted.

“The media is a very powerful tool, and combined with social media in this era, has the ability to make and unmake a nation. I need not remind you of the havoc that has been wrecked by the media in some other countries leading to civil wars.”

He emphasised that the “security agencies cannot and will not allow anyone to disrupt the peace that we have all toiled for all these years and continue to enjoy today”.

He also assured the public that the security agencies are well prepared to curb any violence that could occur anywhere before, during, and after the electioneering period.