Peace Council, political parties confer

The National Peace Council (NPC) has met with representatives of the political parties to determine possible threats to the upcoming elections, and also develop strategies to help address these threats.

The meeting comes on the heels of controversies that have surrounded the on-going biometric registration exercise, which has often resulted in violence.

Notable among them was the issue of ordinary resident registration, which has become a source of conflict at many registration centres, as some people are physically prevented from registering because they do not reside in the vicinity of the registration centre.

The parties also complained about inadequate information on when and where a particular area is due to register, as well as limited registration centres, as compared to the huge numbers of polling stations.

The absence of security personnel at some centres, quality of the voter's ID card, as well as the lack of materials such as challenge forms at some centres, were also mentioned.

Nana Dr. S. K. B. Asante, a member of the NPC, cited the 'winner takes all' mentality as the reason for the heightened tension.

He opined that the country must modify and employ what he called, 'proportional representation' to enable more parties own a stake in the running of the country.

The Chairman of the NPC, Most Rev. Prof Emmanuel Asante, explained the crafting of political manifestos, indicated the willingness of party leaders to govern a united country, while achieving articulated programmes in a peaceful national environment.

He said, however, that no development was attainable in a conflict situation, and urged the political parties to use the campaign period to market their 'political goods' in the form of realistic manifestoes to the people whose mandate they seek.

Political parties represented at the meeting included the Progressive People's Party (PPP), People's National Congress (PNC), Democratic People's Party (DPP), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The UNDP and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council were also represented.