Liberia workers appeal to Ghana to make October elections peaceful

Accra, May 17, GNA - The Congress of the National Trades Union of Liberia on Tuesday appealed to Ghana to assist Liberia in the organisation of civic training and education in the run-up to that country's election in October.

The Congress noted that the contribution of Ghana in brokering a comprehensive peace accord in the aftermath of the Liberia Civil War and said it would rely on Ghana's experience in civil education to make the elections peaceful.

A delegation of the Congress led by its Secretary-General, Mr Jerry Duplaye at a press conference in Accra, said it was seeking the assistance of Ghana and Nigeria to broker peace and stability on the political and the industrial fronts.

They also appealed to the two countries to help to restore peace in Togo following unrest after elections there last month. Mr David Sackoh, Director of Education, Training and International Affairs of the Liberia Union, said Liberia had a voter population of 2.8 million, 18 political parties and 52 presidential candidates. He, however, said efforts were underway, through education and appeals to power brokers to form coalitions to reduce the candidates to less than five and the parties to two or three.

Mr Sackoh appealed to workers in Togo and Liberia not to allow themselves to be used to slaughter their own fellow countrymen. The delegation, which returns home on Wednesday, has been to Nigeria on a similar mission. 17 May 05