PARTNERSHIP IS KEY TO PEACE WORK • As we mark International Day of Peace today

Every year the International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed worldwide on 21 September. Also known as World Peace Day, it is a day set aside to recognize non-violence and ceasefire in the world troubled by conflicts, civil unrest and insurgent activities.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Partnerships for peace-Dignity for all” which highlights the importance of all segments of society to work together to strive for peace.

Brief background
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly by unanimous vote, adopted resolution36/67 establishing the IDP which stated in part “ ……to devote a specific time to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its members states, as well as the whole of mankind, to promoting the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all viable ways.” The first peace day was celebrated in September 21, 1982 but it was until in 2001 that the United Nations General Assembly unanimously voted to adopt resolution 55/282, which endorsed 21 September as the annual day of non-violence and cease-fire.

Peace activities
Globally, a number of special activities and celebrations have been earmarked for the day. Such activities include interfaith peace ceremonies, a boast for peace, a peace choir, lightening candles, peace prayers, a peace convey of vehicles, trees planting for peace, art exhibitions promoting peace, picnics for peace, peace walks. Since its inception, Peace Day has marked our personal and planetary progress toward peace it has grown to include millions of people in parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts or forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.

Anyone anywhere can celebrate peace day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, sitting in silent mediation, or doing a good deed for someone you do not know. Or it can involve getting your-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense, and does make a difference.

Partnerships
This year’s theme engages us to consider how we can collaborate with individuals and institutions to fully realize the goals of peace and justice for all. Dignity also reminds us of our diverse situations but our humanity is central. Peace is recognized as the essential prerequisite for sustained development. Without peace, there is no development. Needless to say Ghana’s international repute of good governance and democracy is occasioned by the presence of prevailing peace in the country. A sustainable peace is a legitimate peace that guarantees a sustained economic growth and higher standard of living. Peace does not come out of a vacuum but with a cost. This calls for investment in peace and peace building activities. Thus, the establishment of an important institution that provides procedures for channeling conflicts into acceptable solutions mechanisms is vital to the development of the country’s future.

Statutory institution
Established by an Act of parliament (Act 818, 2011) the National Peace Council (NPC) has the mandate to facilitate and develop mechanisms for preventing, managing and resolving conflict as well as to build sustainable peace in the country.

Working together
The Council cannot work alone. Working alone, it cannot achieve much. Working together in partnership, however, the council can better achieve its mandate through collaborative efforts with individuals and institutions. The success of the council work is linked with other important stakeholders in a quest for peace. In other words, the work of the Council would not be possible without partnerships between governments, security agencies, traditional leaders, religious leaders, civil society organizations, legislature, women groups, business community, media, youth groups, judiciary, development partners and international community that are needed to support the council in achieving its future goals.

It is important to appreciate the overwhelming success of these partnerships forged by the National Peace Council to maintain peace and stability in Ghana during and after the 2008 and 2012 parliamentary and presidential elections. That is to say the Council intervened in the high-stake situations which could have had serious far-reaching consequences for this country’s political and socio-economic development. Some instances will suffice to illustrate the point:

Since the promulgation of the Fourth Republic in 1992, Ghana has had a good record of six successive and successful general elections. However, two of those elections (2008, 2012) resulted in a political hiccup to the extent that the country came closest to the brink of conflicts. The 2008 elections was the most closely fought election with a winning margin of only 0.46% after second round of voting.

According to Emmanuel Bombande, a Ghanaian and the founder of the West Africa Network for Peace, “When it mattered most in an extremely difficult moment during Ghana’s elections in 2008, the National Peace Council was there to save Ghana.” The NPC was there again before, during and after the 2012 elections.

2012 elections
In build-up to 2012 elections, the NPC collaborated with Manhyia Palace, Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), UNESCO, and other actors to bind all the presidential candidates to sign a Peace Pact pledging their commitment to fight against election violence, impurity and injustice in the country.

The NPC again collaborated with the UNDP, Manyhia Palace, Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), the media and others to organize a National Peace Summit to increase citizen’s awareness and put them in a better state of readiness to cope with the stress of the verdict of the Supreme Court in the 2012 election petition

In the heat of the election some party supporters took workers of the Superllock Technologies Limited at Dzorwulu hostage, alleging that the company was in league with the Electoral Commission (EC) to manipulate electoral figures in favour of President John Mahama, the swift response with which the NPC together with other partners calmed nerves and dispelled rumours that there was something fishy going on in the premises is worthy of a mention.

The declaration of results by the political parties, a situation that is a recipe for chaos and anarchy, the NPC again intervened to assure the public to remain calm while the constitutionally mandated statutory Electoral Commission to declare the results.

Without the presence of the NPC in quelling the tensions of two crucial elections (2008 and 2012 general elections), the country could have been thrown into a state of utter confusion.

Collaborations
To begin with, the NPC engages all the stakeholders/ actors including political parties, security agencies, judiciary, media, to ensure free and fair elections in the country. By so doing, it organizes a series of dialogue processes with the purpose of promoting peace which is a fundamental requirement for development.

The NPC collaborated with the UNDP and the University of Cape Coast to conduct a conflict assessment studies in all the ten administrative regions of the country. And for the first time in its kind the country can boast of having electronic conflict map.

The NPC through the collaboration of various stakeholders and the UNDP has undertaken the mediation processes of the Dagbon conflict, Bawku conflict, Alavanyo-Nkonya conflict with the intention of finding lasting solutions to these conflicts.

We must not lose sight of the fact that disputes over election results have brought conflicts and civil wars to many African countries and have torn families, peoples and nations apart.

It is against this background that as we celebrate the international day of peace today, the writer wishes to add his voice to numerous calls on the Electoral Council not to gloss over the issue of bloated voter register raised by the leading political party and must put in place mechanisms that can ensure a credible voter register which is key to credible election. Even though NPC has time and again demonstrated its capacity to defuse political tension and bring about peace in the country, we must not leave things to chance. Every concern must be verified and addressed to the satisfaction of all parties.

Judging from the foregoing, one can conclude that the NPC has made significant contributions towards national peace and development since its establishment in 2006. It is time the government committed adequate funds to the council in order to strengthen and deepen partnerships with its main stakeholders. For, peace is as important resource as minerals such as gold, cocoa, timber diamond. Though peace is intangible, development can not take place without it.

Coming events, they say, cast their shadows before they appear. In less than 16 months to go the polls and the clash between the Let-my-vote-count-alliance demonstrators and the police is an indication that the election is going to be a fierce battle.

As we approach 2016 general elections, we need to stand firm on the principles and values of peace. For, there is no substitute for peace.

George Oko Mensah
Freelance journalist and peace practitioner
His email: [email protected]