The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has warned that peace pacts ahead of the 2024 elections risk being meaningless without genuine actions to back them.
Speaking during the signing of a peace pact on Thursday, November 28, Mahama emphasized the importance of trust and sincerity among stakeholders in achieving lasting peace, expressing doubts about the effectiveness of such agreements in the absence of concrete measures.
“There is reason to be concerned that the signing of this pact, though well-intentioned, could amount to nothing if not followed by concrete actions to guarantee the peace by the stakeholders and government,” he stated.
Mahama argued that declarations of peace must align with the actions of those in authority, cautioning against hypocrisy and a disconnect between commitments and behavior.
“It is all well and good for us to commit to peace and recite beautiful platitudes. However, all efforts to build peace before, during, and after the 2024 elections would be futile if mistrust and insincerity persist. Mistrust arises when there is a disconnect between words and actions, compounded by gaslighting from those in authority,” he said.
Drawing on events from the 2020 general elections and the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, Mahama highlighted instances that undermine confidence in the process.
“We all recall the appalling spectacle of masked men acting on the orders of operatives of the government, shooting indiscriminately at innocent Ghanaians going about their legitimate electoral activity during that by-election. Some of the victims of that shooting incident remain incapacitated till now,” he recounted.
He criticized the government’s inaction on the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission, which investigated the Ayawaso West Wuogon incident, stating that this undermines public trust in the government’s commitment to peace.
“The refusal by the government to act on the recommendations of the Emile Short Commission does not inspire confidence in Ghanaians that the government truly believes in peace,” Mahama said.
He further condemned the government’s failure to address the killing of eight citizens during the 2020 elections, questioning whether such violence could recur in 2024.
“The inaction of the government in the face of the murder of the eight of our citizens during the last election casts a shadow of doubt on government commitment to maintain the peace. How are we to believe that such killings would not reoccur?” he asked.