National Peace Council acknowledges 2020 election deaths as a stain on Ghana’s reputation
The National Peace Council has recognized that the deaths of eight people during the 2020 elections have significantly tarnished Ghana’s international reputation, despite the general perception that the elections were peaceful.
The Council emphasized its ongoing efforts to engage with stakeholders to prevent such tragedies in the future, underscoring that no election should ever result in the loss of life.
Joana Opare, a Board Member of the National Peace Council, made these remarks during the Public Forum on Media, Peace, and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana, held in Accra.
She stated that the deaths during the 2020 general elections had damaged Ghana’s image and stressed that elections should never lead to fatalities.
To address this issue, the Council is conducting extensive consultations with political parties, their leadership, the media, and other stakeholders to ensure that Ghana remains a peaceful nation.
This development follows the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, outlining specific conditions that the party demands be met before considering signing the Peace Pact, which the National Peace Council is advocating in anticipation of the December 7 elections.
Mr. Nketia expressed doubts about the effectiveness of previous Peace Pacts, pointing out that they failed to achieve their intended goals, particularly citing the deaths of eight NDC members during the 2020 elections, allegedly at the hands of national security operatives.
During an August 20 meeting with the National Peace Council, Mr. Nketia detailed the conditions necessary for the NDC’s participation in the Peace Pact.
These include the full implementation of recommendations from the investigation into the violence during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, the prosecution of those responsible for election-related violence in 2020, and accountability for irregularities in the printing of ballot papers.
The NDC also demands a thorough investigation into the missing IT equipment from the Electoral Commission’s (EC) warehouse, raising concerns about the integrity of the EC’s systems.
Additionally, the party urges the President to publicly commit to respecting the results of the 2024 elections.
The NDC insists that the Peace Pact should be signed by key figures, including the Inspector General of Police, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, and the National Security Coordinator, before they will consider signing it themselves.
