Is it Worth Having A National Peace Council At All?

It is normally worthy having Peace Councillors but in the present day Ghana and by the actions of our current National Peace Councillors, one will find themselves in a dilemma answering the posed question, “Is it worth having a National Peace Council at all”?

The role of the Peace Councillors comes into conspicuous play when there is a conflict. When all is well without any conflict in place, Peace Councillors become somehow dormant if not irrelevant. This just expressed contention of mine is buttressed by the following quote, “The Peace Councillors meet annually, preferably in a place of conflict where they can contribute to a peace process. They review progress and set programs for the next year”

In Ghana, we hear of the members of the National Peace Council becoming vociferous only when national election is approaching. In the few months leading on to election, one could hear our National Peace Councillors asserting loudly that the country and people therein need peace.

It really annoys me to hear them talk peace, peace and peace when there is no conflict. They go on further to suggest that God loves us so much that we surely need to aggressively protect the peace we have been enjoying in the midst of other war-prone African countries.

From a well-established view, Peace Councillors become relevant and play significant role when there is conflict. They will expertly intervene to bring two or more warring factions together to broker peace among them hence their name Peace Councillors. While playing the role of peace brokers, they additionally ensure that structures are put in place to maintain justice among the factions with the aim of preventing any reoccurrence of the causes that culminated in the conflict that put the warring factions asunder.

From the above, how do we see, and evaluate, the so-called Ghana Peace Council that only becomes vocal in election years, always preaching that the country needs peace without first ensuring that justice prevails?

Even though the current government headed by President Mahama is unprecedentedly corrupt; mismanaging the affairs of the country to the detriment of most of the Ghanaian citizens, we have the National Peace Council always coming out to request the citizens to ensure that the peace the country is enjoying is maintained intact.

Is there any group of people or political parties fighting the other in Ghana? If no one is fighting, why then should the Peace Council come out to disturb our ears with the let-peace-prevail messages without ever admonishing that we should let justice prevail to avoid any disturbance to the peace the nation is proudly claimed to be enjoying?

Should all Ghanaians be seen in the sense of “a man must be a fool to be called darling by a woman”, thus, remain mute and take whatever is thrown at them by the government and her agents and assigns? In the name of peace, should all discerning and economically suffering Ghanaians keep mute, have their arms folded around the chest and watch while a few hardened criminals without heart toy with their lives?

I quite remember, during the statements of declaration of the Supreme Court verdict on election 2012 petition, Vida Akoto-Bamfo (Mrs), JSC or probably Sophia. O. Adinyira (Mrs), JSC said, she would not be obliged by the credibility of any facts presented, or evidence adduced during the trial, to render a verdict that may disturb the peace that Ghana and she have been enjoying since her childhood. With her mind focused on the dictates of her stomach and what she stood to gain, one could clearly see her submit a verdict statement that was in vast contrast to the truth seen on live telecast of the Election 2016 petition hearing.

For the Supreme Court’s lack of deciding truthfully, based on the judges’ own hidden agenda and personal interests, they could not accord any attention to the credible facts and evidence presented before them.

Following that unethical attitude by them, they created a monster that vey instance. The devil they created in 2013 recently came to haunt them through the monstrous behave by the Montie trio, the NDC’s paid agents.

This is how some well-placed Ghanaian citizens and institutions behave. They do not give a toss about whether the majority of Ghanaians are suffering, or will suffer, following their momentary selfish decisions or madness.

Our National Peace Council must cease helping the incumbents, either directly or indirectly, to continue to oppress the poor and the innocent by their preaching of peace, peace and peace without ever bothering to preach justice, justice, justice and peace.

Why is the Ghana National Peace Council only heard of when general election is impending? Do they have a role to play to ensure that the abuse of power by the government, doing whatever it wants with Ghana’s money, dishing it out corruptly to a few cronies and criminals supportive of her lawless actions, is ceased?

The mismanagement of the affairs of Ghana by the current government is the greatest cause of concern and the brutal war in the lives of many a discerning and a suffering Ghanaian. This is the conflict I call on the Peace Council to help address rather than coming out to scream we need peace, we need peace, when election is drawing near, to give undue advantage to the lawless NDC faithful to have a field day to rig the election.

The National Peace Council must be seen to be relevant but not to be seen to be irrelevant, indirectly conniving with the government to inflict untold hardships on Ghanaians.

I do not prefer to hear people talk derogatorily about them saying, as the Council of State is, so is the Peace Council, because of their biased attitudes that may give the government the leverage to do whatever it likes to even the point of rigging general elections in her favour.

We want to see our national institutions being more responsible than irresponsible!

Rockson Adofo