Ghana would come out of this year's elections unscathed- Boateng

Sogakope, (V/R) May 2, GNA - The country would come out of this year's elections unscathed, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, a Deputy Minister of Information, said at a public forum at Sogakope as part of his tour of the Volta Region.

Answering questions at the forum, he said the government has adopted proactive measures to enable it be abreast with events in the country without infringing on the rights of the citizenry and creating panic and tension.

Mr Boateng said the government would not want to be credited with presiding over a chaotic electioneering campaigning and elections and that the authorities would live up to their responsibilities. He said the government would not be distracted by the exigencies of the impending political campaigns in the run-up to the elections. Mr Boateng said he was optimistic that Ghanaians would regulate any inclinations towards violence in the run-up to the 2004 Elections. He said despite fears being expressed by some people about the misuse of the airwaves to whip up violence-inclined passions, the same medium has so far being used to demonstrated the public's abhorrence towards such inclinations.

Mr Boateng noted: "To each provocative pronouncement there are two or more voices to counter it" adding that it is reassuring of the fact that Ghanaians desire peaceful resolution of differences.

He said the media should be given enough latitude to operate subject to the laws by which aggrieved persons could seek redress against excesses.

Mr Boateng, however, called on the media to regulate their activities towards preventing excesses and maintenance of high professional standards especially during electioneering campaigns to the 2004 Elections.

He said the government has achieved much within a relatively short period in office compared with past government and, therefore, deserve another mandate from the citizenry.

Mr Boateng who addressed similar forums of workers at Keta and Adidome, urged workers to be professional and to avoid allowing partisan politics to influence their official duties.

He asked Ghanaians to take personal responsibility for maintaining peace and stability.