KEEA inaugurates inter-party dialogue committee

The Very Reverend Dr. Symonds A. Botchey, the Superintendent Minister of the Elmina Circuit of the Methodist, said on Thursday that the searchlight would be on Ghana this December as the world watches to see whether it could continue to hold peaceful elections.

He has in this regard, charged Ghanaians to be mindful of the fact that as a peace loving nation, other countries would like to learn from Ghana’s example and therefore it was important that anything that would breach the peace was avoided during the general elections.

Very Rev. Dr. Botchey gave the reminder at the inauguration of a 30-member Municipal Inter-Party Sialogue committee at the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipal Assembly on Thursday.

The committee, constituted by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the KEEA, among other objectives, is to coordinate the affairs of political parties in the Municipality to ensure peaceful electioneering activities before, during and after the December polls.

They are made up of representatives from the various political parties, the NCCE, the Ghana Police Service, the media, Council of Churches and some opinion leaders in the Municipality.

Rev. Dr. Botchey, who presided over the ceremony, indicated that there was the need to deepen inter-party relationships to promote peace, tolerance and unity among the entire population in the country, adding that it was his prayer that God would “steer” all election activities to a successful end.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the KEEA, Mr. Isaac Kweku Sam asked members of the various political parties, as well as followers and sympathizers to eschew negative tendencies that would result in violence, emphasizing that members of the ruling party were not above the law.

He said Ghanaians are one people and they should not be divided because of political affiliations, stressing that it was imperative for all to pursue peace and unity.

Mr. Thomas Yallow, the KEEA Municipal Director of the NCCE, said the committee was also to ensure that the Electoral Commission works without fear or favour to facilitate free and fair elections; check electoral malpractices and also monitor media houses to be apolitical and objective.