We’ll not sign any peace pact to fold our arms to be killed again without justice – Asiedu Nketiah

The Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has firmly stated that the party will not sign any peace pact that would leave its supporters vulnerable to extrajudicial killings again in the upcoming elections.

The NDC has refused to sign a Peace Pact to commit to peace in the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

During a meeting with the National Peace Council on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, the NDC chairman outlined six conditions, including requiring the President, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief Justice, the National Security Coordinator, and the Attorney General to all sign the pact.

Despite Asiedu Nketiah’s strong stance, the National Peace Council remains optimistic that the NDC will eventually agree to sign the peace pact before the December elections.

However, addressing NDC supporters at Nuaso in the Lower Manya Krobo constituency, Asiedu Nketiah stated the party’s reservations, reiterating specific conditions that must be met before the NDC would consider signing the peace agreement.

“We cannot ban the death sentence and then turn around to condone extrajudicial killings in this democracy,” Asiedu Nketiah declared. “Considering the number of people killed since Akufo-Addo assumed power if we do not pull the brakes on him, the killings will continue, and that will make democracy dysfunctional.”

He pointed to several incidents where, according to him, no justice has been served, including the deaths of three Members of Parliament and the violence during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

“Three MPs have been killed, and nobody has been arrested. We went to a by-election at Ayawaso West Wuogon, and [Akufo-Addo] deployed hoodlums to shoot indiscriminately, killing and injuring people. Nobody has said anything,” he stated.

Asiedu Nketiah also criticized the government’s response to the Techiman South election violence, where eight people were reportedly killed. “Eight people were killed in Techiman, and nobody has been held accountable,” he noted.

The NDC chairman was resolute in his stance against signing the peace pact under the current circumstances. “If you heard that I have declined to sign the Peace Pact ahead of this year’s election, these are the reasons. I will not sign it today nor tomorrow,” he asserted.

Asiedu Nketiah addressed those urging the NDC to sign the peace pact, insisting that justice must be served first.

“Those eminent persons pursuing us to sign the Peace Pact, I want them to understand that every life is precious. You failed to prosecute those who killed people; the suspects are still wielding their guns. Now, another election is coming, and you are asking me to send my party people to sign a peace document that even when they are shot at, they should fold their arms and be killed. We won’t do that. So if we want peace, we must speak truth to power,” he concluded.