Peaceful Elections In The December 2016 Polls: Role Of The Ghanaian Youth

Introduction
Greetings fellow compatriots, the general elections (7th December, 2016) in Ghana are over, and for the second time, I am writing you a post-elections analysis article in response to my previous article entitled: “Election 2016 in Ghana: Youth, Beware of Violent Conflict Entrepreneurs”, which was published by the ModernGhana on 14th July 2016. In the article, I promised that somewhere in January 2017, I would write to commend or condemn the role of the Ghanaian youth concerning the outcome of the elections.

In the article, I explained the meaning of peace and examined the global respect for Ghana’s peace process and the need not to ruin such glory. Besides, I told the Ghanaian youth about the effects of conflict and why they should eschew from violence. Finally, I warned them against certain ‘electoral violence entrepreneurs’ who may want to use them to cause violence in order to make a profit. In this article, I have examined the global perspective of Ghana’s democracy, the role of the Ghanaian youth in the December 2016 polls, and concluded that with a collective responsibility, Ghana’s holistic development agenda can be achieved.

Global perspective of Ghana’s Democracy

Generally, Africa is perceived as a dark continent besieged by a series of violence, including electoral conflicts, civil wars, natural resource conflicts, and political uprisings among others in the global scene. Nonetheless, Ghana is among the few countries that have not experienced any form of large-scale conflict since independence in March 1957. Ghana is considered one of the most peaceful countries in West Africa because, since 1992, the country has witnessed peaceful politico-democratic transitions. For instance, the peaceful general elections that were held in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 have made Ghana a beacon of hope for democracy in Africa. In the country’s political history, the just ended general elections (7 December 2016), for instance, represented the third time that a democratically elected incumbent President uninterruptedly handed over power to the opposition political party peaceful.

What is equally significant is that in the past decade, the Ghanaian electorate has freely ensured a massive turnover of government between the two main parties, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) without violence. Essentially, following the peaceful handing over of power from the fourth President (John Dramani Mahama) to the fifth President (Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo) of Ghana’s Fourth Republic, Ghanaians have been described at both local and the international cycles as an oasis of peace and stability with a steady democratic culture in a continent plagued with conflicts.

Delivering a speech on behalf of ECOWAS at the inauguration of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Black Stars Square in Accra on 7th January 2017, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (Liberian President) praised Ghana’s democratic credentials, saying “…the country had made Africa proud with it smooth transition of Ghana from one government to another” Besides, she commended all Ghanaians, particularly the youth, the electoral commission, and all political parties for a successful election. Adding to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s commendations, La Cote d’Ivoire’s President, Alansane Quattara said “the transparent and peaceful election and smooth handing over of power demonstrated that Ghanaians had, indeed, opted for democracy and peace”.

He added that the election, undoubtedly, contributed to the positive image of West Africa and Africa as a whole. Also, on behalf of the US Embassy in Ghana, Mark Toner on 9 December 2016 congratulated the people of Ghana, and commended the former President for respecting the results announced by the electoral commission, thereby calling on his supporters to do same, and demonstrating the leadership and commitment to democracy for which Ghana is known for throughout the world.

Significantly, aside the internal peace and security architecture in Ghana, externally, Ghana plays a good role in peacekeeping and conflict resolutions in many conflicts and war torn areas in the African continent and beyond such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote D’lvoire, Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon and Cambodia. Apparently, Ghana’s role in peacekeeping and conflict resolutions in the Africa sub-region was part of the reason that the American Fund for Peace in 2009 conferred on Ghana as the most peaceful and stable democratic country in Africa.

The Role of the Ghanaian Youth in the December 2016 Polls

I am not an armchair philosopher; I belong to the school of thought that subscribes to the ‘charity begins at home’ philosophy. As such, in a bid to contribute to a peaceful election in Ghana, I toured the country, especially in the electoral violence areas such as Wa in the Upper West region, Kwabenya in the Greater Accra region and Kasoa in the Central region among others preaching about peace and the need for violence free elections to hundreds of Ghanaian youth. Generally, the Ghanaian youth deserves commendations following their remarkable role in ensuring a peaceful election. Many of them served as hired staff of the electoral commission, hired staff of civil society groups, monitoring the election and voting process. Moreover, those who were in the camps of the various political parties, campaigned with decency. In effect, the low intensity of political party clashes and uprisings, before, during and after the general elections, particularly between the supporters of the NDC and NPP shows how much the Ghanaian youth has come to understand the strategies and tricks of the ‘conflict entrepreneurs’ whose aim is to lure them into violence to achieve their selfish interest.

Conclusion
Be citizens, not observers; beyond the election is an era of a collective responsibility. This is the period to bury all political difference and hold hands together as one people with a common goal. The current President and his government can only succeed with the active support of the 54 million Ghanaian citizens. Even though opposition is bitter, the ‘do make I see’ behaviour when in opposition is a bad mentality that should be deleted in the minds of the Ghanaian citizens. We should not act only as political party apparatchiks when in opposition, but also citizens with a common goal of community and national development. Taking inspiration from his speech, Thomas Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of United States said to his people “…I ask you to be citizens. Citizens, not spectators. Citizens, not subjects. Responsible citizens building communities of service and a nation of character.”

Abdul Karim Issifu
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