The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has inaugurated Upper West Regional Inter-Party Dialogue Committee to serve as a unifying body which can help promote peace and resolve conflicts before, during and after the 2020 general elections in order to ensure political, economic and social progress as well as national stability.
Addressing the occasion at Wa, on Thursday December 19, 2019, the Upper West Regional Director of NCCE, Madam Patience Sally Kuma says one of the critical indicators of democracy and good governance is conducting credible and peaceful elections, hence the need for this body to be set up to serve as mediators and resolve potential elections conflicts before, during and after the general elections come 2020.
She added that, Ghana over the years has attained enviable democratic records so far as elections are concern, stressing that there is the need to deepen these records.
“Notwithstanding Ghana’s enviable democratic records, there is the need to deepen and consolidate these democratic tenets and credentials. The nation’s situation provides every justification for the re-formation of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committees(IPDCs) that would act as buffer in the constituencies to stem or nip the tide of unnecessary suspicions and anxieties among political parties in the face of political party vigilantes gaining grounds and likely to mar Ghana’s enviable record of holding peaceful elections”.
The committee has been tasked to monitor and report on election related violence, bias reportage by the media abusive campaign languages during campaigns, distribution of money and other gifts to electorates, rigging of elections, abuse of incumbency among several others.
The committee shall also monitor the behavior of electorates and supporters of political parties as they are often used by the parties to commit electoral offense.
The team was sworn in as a legal committee to kick start work by the Wa circuit court judge after an action plan was drawn and adopted by the members. The IPDC comprises representatives of all the registered political parties, reps of faith based organizations, chiefs and traditional leaders, security personnel as well as members from the Ghana peace council, media reps and the NCCE serving as an administrative body for the IPDC.
