Speech by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama at the Kumasi Peace Accord:

Ghana has been on the democratic path for the last twenty years. Indeed since we adopted our constitution of 1992, we have established solid democratic credentials over this 20 year period.

We have held five successive elections, and we are about to go into a sixth. Normally this should cause us no sleep because we have had the experience before. But it is said that the price of freedom, and in this case, I replace freedom with peace, is eternal vigilance.

Ghana, as a result of our democratic credentials, is held to a much higher standard, than other countries on our continent. Our democracy is believed to have matured. I remember recently, on the world stage at the UN General Assembly, I called on the international community that were interested in monitoring and observing our elections to feel free to do so.

A few of them have turned down the invitation, because they say Ghana's democracy has matured and they don't need to come and supervise these elections.

What this means is that we must rise up as a people and make sure that nothing mars this great respect and esteem in which we are held.

These elections of 2012 will consolidate once and for all our credentials as probably the best democracy in the world.

I have a dual responsibility; first as President of the Republic, and secondly as a candidate in these elections myself.

I pledge to carry out this role to the best of my ability and in the national interest.

Our government has worked to create an environment to have a peaceful and successful election. We have provided the resources that the electoral commission needs, all the resources it needs to be able to conduct this election without any hitch. We have provided the security services with resources and equipment, to be able to carry out their mandate, of creating a peaceful atmosphere devoid of intimidation for all our citizens to freely come out and exercise their franchise.

Everybody knows me since I have been in public service as a person of peace, and non-violent person. I have led by example and I have avoided any inflammatory or insulting comments against any of my opponents or any other person in that case.

Indeed, I have gone the extra mile to call members of my team, to take a cue from my character and communicate as decently as they can. I am sure that if all us leaders and the key stakeholders reflect my personal example, are abhorrent of intemperate language, of insults, of electoral violence, this would go along way and would greatly help to reduce the tension and call our supporters to order.

I want to thank the religious leaders for the constant intercessory prayers they say for Ghana. I believe that God's divine favour is also a factor in the peace that we enjoy in this country. And I will urge them to continue to pray for peace. But while we pray for divine intervention, I believe that we all have a role as citizens of Ghana to do our best and work towards a peaceful nation.

I want to take this opportunity to also thank our traditional leaders and our civil society organisations for the advocacy role they have played in ensuring that we enjoy peace in this country. I will ask them to continue to play that role and to do so in a neutral and non-partisan manner.

I wish before all of you my countrymen and women to pledge my commitment to a violence-free election, and I call on all our citizens to join the electoral commission, government and the security services, to ensure peace before, during and after the election.

Let me once again in conclusion, thank the National Peace Council, thank the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, thank our former presidents and all the distinguished people who have made time to come here, and to thank my colleagues who are candidates in this election, and say let us all work together, and we can make it.

Thank you.