A coalition of Civil Society Organizations under the Civic Forum Initiative and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Coalition for Domestic Elections Observers have had a meeting with the Inspector General of Police and the National Elections Security Taskforce to deliberate ways forward to quell reported cases of post election violence which has plagued the country after results were declared by the Electoral Commission .
The meeting was held at the Police Headquarters in Accra on Wednesday , December 11 where the CSOs raised concerns of the dreadful acts of violence and looting which are reported to have taken place at both public and private facilities across the nation.
The fruitful meeting between the CSOs and security officials touched on ways to handle such irresponsible acts and called on the rampaging youth who have taken the law into their hands to threaten the peace and tranquility in the country after the democratic voting exercise to elect new leaders for the next 4 years.
” We recognize the gallant efforts of our security forces to safeguard the peace of Ghana and our long standing democracy pre , post and after the General Elections , with the focus on de-escalating tensions even under extreme provocation in some polling centres across the country on December 7.
It is worth noting that the individuals who were behind the vandalism and looting after Elections have been arrested and being processed for court for being an affront to a peaceful society which will serve as a deterrent going forward.
We advise the persons across the country to celebrate in moderation and not take advantage of their victory to abuse or infringe on the rights of others or be lawless , the Police and its allies will be on hand to deal decisively with miscreants in society post Elections”. parts of the release read.
Also, the CFI also extends its heartfelt congratulations and warm wishes to the President Elect , H.E John Dramani Mahama on his historic win in the December 7 Elections and lauded the interventions of the winner and the NDC Leadership to calm down the rank and file of the party to refrain from using the victory to cause disorder in the country as well as other notable bodies like the Catholic Bishop Conference to rein in the disturbances.
” The CFI and its partners really appreciate the efforts of the President Elect and the NDC Leadership to call on the rank and file of the party’s base to calm down and not use the victory celebrations for criminal enterprise , best wishes for the next government in waiting andwe must know that the democracy we so cherish works only if citizens will all be law abiding.
Kudos to the Catholic Bishops Conference and other allied ecumenical bodies for calling out the acts of lawlessness carried out by the rampaging party supporters and sympathizers and also calling on the police to use the law decisively to protect the sanctity of Ghana’s democracy”.
