'Militarisation of our elections must end' - John Mahama

Former President John Mahama has called for an end to what he describes as “the militarisation of our elections”, where armed military and security operatives are deployed to polling and coalition centres.

He said the practice was a recipe for chaos and needed to be stopped to maintain sanity in the country’s electoral process.

Mahama said this while committing to peace at the 2024 Peace Campaign organised by the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council in collaboration with the Christian Council and the Office of the National Chief Imam at the State House, Accra ahead of the December polls.

The Former President said his Party, the National Democratic Congress, would be making an official proposal to the National Peace Council to expand the signatories to the Peace Pact to include all other important stakeholders in the elections.

He said that would bind other important institutions to play their roles effectively for a peaceful election.

“It is our hope that this will make the pact a more binding commitment to peace and not just a ceremonial piece of paper without any meaning,” he added.

Mahama urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to be impartial and the Judiciary to be fair and neutral in the event of any election disputes, saying, justice was a necessary imperative for peace.

“There is wisdom in the saying a stitch in time saves nine. Many conflicts worldwide began when people ignored injustices until the oppressed felt forced to respond. While I am and will remain a man of peace, I urge everyone to stay vigilant and to stand for justice,” he said.

Mahama assured the gathering that he and the NDC would not only call for peace but committed to peace before, during and after the elections.

“We have a strong stake in maintaining the peace of Ghana and would work for a peaceful Ghana that fosters progress and happiness for every citizen.”

“I, John Dramani-Mahama, stand here today before you and before the Almighty God to reaffirm my commitment and that of the National Democratic Congress to uphold peace before, during, and after the upcoming elections on December 7, 2024,” he pledged.

Meanwhile, Samuel Tettey, a Deputy Chairperson of the EC in charge of Operations, said the EC’s activities and processes prior to the 2024 elections had been transparent and open to all.

He said the EC would continue to engage its stakeholders transparently and openly to ensure a fair electoral process ahead of the elections.

Tettey urged the leadership of political parties to be circumspect in their utterances so as not to undermine the country’s electoral process and peace.