CHRAJ warns of rising political tension in Ghana

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), is warning of grave consequences if the tension building up ahead of the December elections is taken for granted.

Deputy CHRAJ Commissioner, Joseph Whittal is worried about the growing political intolerance, use of inflammatory language especially on radio talk shows, the allegation of the discovery of a military training camp in a forest, and tape recordings of politicians plotting to destabilize the country.

He was speaking to Joy News on CHRAJ's pre-election monitoring of the political environment.

According to him, reports gathered as a result of monitoring indicate tension is inching a notch higher.

He cited the language being used by some of the political party representatives, describing them as lacking decorum.

Whittal also berated callers into radio stations for using insulting language in their discourse.

Whilst he did not subscribe to assertions that the country was inching closer to a breaking point, he was quick to add that a lot needs to be done to ease rising tension in the country.

Other institutions including the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers and the National Peace Council have shared similar concerns.

But a cross section of Ghanaians who spoke to Joy News' Fiifi Koomson expressed mixed opinions on the rising tension in the country.

Whilst some have come to accept the insults and rising tension as part of electioneering campaign, others insist it must be checked and nipped in the bud.

Meanwhile, Director of Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre, Dr. Kwesi Aning, told Joy News the oil discovery appears to have raised the stakes a bit higher in this year's elections.