‘Let’s act to avoid violence in 2016’ – Akwetey

Executive Director at the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey says Ghanaians should have no fear of violence in the 2016 elections if the right reforms are put in place.

According to him, the various proposals being suggested to the Electoral Commission by civil society groups are enough to ensure a violence-free elections if adopted.

“We should be worried if we do nothing.

“If we are going to just stand there and go through a third-time volatile elections, then it’s a shame to us,” he told Morning Starr host Kafui Dey, Thursday.

He said it will be shameful for the country to sit idle and experience the dangers that characterised the 2012 elections when it has the capacity to act.

“We have the capacity to act. So if we don’t want violence then there are things to do to prevent it. We should act because we have the capacity to act,” he stated.

Disputes over the 2012 elections led to an eight-month long hearing of an election petition at the Supreme Court, which eventually affirmed the victory of President John Mahama.