UNITY LINK FOUNDATOIN
We write this press satement as a peace advocacy organisation to offer our objective appeal and contribution to the debate on whether Ghana needs a new voters’ register or not. The issue, having taken a centre stage in the media domain in a divided front by political parties…even though, the EC has taken an entrench position to compile new register, we believed it’s the nation’s interest not to stifle the beauty of our electoral process for vanity since it may incurred political instability in the country during and after the 2020 general Elections.
Unity Link Foundation is a peace advocacy organisation that seeks to promote peace through music/entertainment, have profoundly observed statement of the EC, the opposition parties, the ruling government and other civil organisations as they all tried in their pursuit to protect the interest of Mother Ghana.
However, to whether we need new register, and the challenges cited by the EC about the old register are concerns and a matter of national interest to conduct ourselves more professionally not to impugn the nation into chaos for personal self-importance.
Many are saying, compiling a new voters’ register never grantee for political violence. Yes! Their argument may be right, because a poorly conducted election process does not necessarily lead to a disputed outcome, and eventually to outburst of violence. However, an effective and credible process and inter-party engagement can reduce the chances of election violence. The United Nations and other African countries over the last years revealed that the following elements can reduce the potential for election-related violence and it’s the need for the EC and it requisite bodies to have a consensus dialogue before taken the step to compile the register.
Despite the independent privilege of the EC, does not materialize for chances to be taken. They are the referee and all sides of the game matters to them and the nation as a whole thus, have to conduct themselves meaningfully in devoid of personal sentiments which may have the tendency of unstable country in the course of the 2020 general elections.
Unity link is with the firm believed that the EC will listen and do the needful thing for the benefit of Ghanaians. Ghana has since 1992, conducted credible elections and this has earned as an international recognising and will not afford to downplay the beauty of our electoral process. Many civil societies, the clergy and other individuals have shared their thoughts on the register to whether is necessary or not. Thus, we deem it appropriate to add our candy voice in the matter by appealing to the Electoral Commission-led by Madam Jean Mensah to do the destitute thing by engaging it stakeholders; that’s the political parties to find a lasting solution to the issue of the compilation of the new voter register.
Even though, the EC have given strenuous reasons of why we need new voters’ register for the 2020 elections. And having underlined such critical concerns associated with the old register, it’s our share responsibilities as a nation to sit on round table to find universal acceptable solution to the matter before going into the elections.
That notwithstanding, election- related violence is most fundamentally which forms the root causes of political violence due to long standing and unresolved grievances and we have to make a hay before the sun shines. There may be sincere reasons to back the call for a new voters’ register and if YES, considering the challenges being raised by the EC, we need to build a consensus dialogue with those matters in the game in order to allay public fear.
Peace is priceless, but hard to acquire- and we collectively have to understand the uniqueness of this peace and forge ourselves in a united front. That said, we are tasking the clergy, the Catholic Secretariat, the Pentecostal Council, the Muslim community and all civil societies to contribute their individual quota in making sure we have a safe Ghana during and after the 2020 general elections.
To this extend, we humbly used this opportunity to appeal to His Royal Highness, Otumfou Osei Tutu II, who in his endeavours contributed significantly in Ghana’s peace process especially in the country’s elections…we say your efforts are unprecedented and that, adding your peace voice into the new voters’ register hullabaloo will make a meaningful end result.
In summary of the above, we state emphatically as peace organisation, calling on political parties to think first the interest of Mother Ghana and stay off from interfering the work of the EC in relation to the compilation of the new register. State intitutions have been hijacked by our politicians depriving their independency to work effectively which is prejudicing our democracy.
……..Signed……..
Mr. Elvis Jackson Etuah
(Director)
0209123606
0243208871
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