Unproductive Peace Forums

One feature which sets the so-called peace envoys apart from the Ghana Peace Council (GPC) is that whereas the former consists of busybodies seeking publicity for holding discussions with various groups ostensibly towards achieving peace – as if there is war – the latter is dormant, hardly heard even when hoodlums destroy state assets in Electoral Commission (EC) offices and inflict injuries on their compatriots.

Two features are common to both however: they are unproductive under the circumstances and hypocritical.

When we see them, faces to the camera, shaking hands with people they engage with, persons who cannot in anyway change the tempestuous DNA of political crooks who would always hire disgruntled thugs to cause trouble, we appreciate how much these smart guys called peace envoys can find novel means of making quick bucks from donor agencies. This is the money-making season and they are in no mood of losing it.

Such engagements demand press cuttings and airtime to convince the sources of their funding about how busy they have been. The cuttings unfortunately do not gauge their importance and effectiveness in stemming the NDC-fueled instances of hooliganism.

We are not at war with one another but rather faced with the challenges of injustice, a politicized law enforcement institution and a government encouraging hoodlums to breach the law because this works in its favour.

The so-called forums on peace can hardly alter the psyche of politicians whose party is in power and who – scared about the aftermath of losing power through the ballot box – would try whatever crazy modules there are to compromise the process.  Unfortunately, when the time is up – like death – no amount of manouvres can alter what has divinely been decreed.

We frown upon the cacophony and hypocrisy of the so-called peace envoys, some of who are working with the ruling party. They were active it would be recalled, in calling on parties in the election petition hearing to accept the outcome. The grounds had been prepared for the outcome; those responsible for ensuring that end having acquiesced: the rest was to ensure that nobody hits the streets. The rest is history.

Those engaging in so-called peace marches, peace talks and other public forums should understand that their efforts could have yielded better fruits had they hit the appropriate chord instead of, as it were, beating about the bush.

If such characters do not know that the intermittent trouble in Kukuom in the Brong-Ahafo Region and Suhum in the Eastern Region and perhaps later in Kumasi and elsewhere are being triggered by government appointees, then they had better shut up and stop the cacophony.

Coming out with statements condemning such acts of vandalism and violence – even on women – if at all will do nothing to stop the brains behind the actions from continuing in that direction.

We wish to state that impunity and abuse of office is the main source of the trouble recorded in some parts of the country so far and inflammable as it is, it could be parlous.

It would be more effective and productive if the so-called envoys redirected their attention to the Inspector General of Police who alone can task his commanders across the regions to take action against mischief makers, irrespective of their party affiliations.

It is only when the people lose confidence in the law enforcement agencies that they take the law into their own hands.

If they do not have the capacity to engage with the police, the EC and relevant stakeholders, we would prefer that such envoys give us a break as we need such silence to think about managing a necessary change. Come on!