Don't excite tension ahead of general polls - Minister

Mr. Peter Anarfi-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has urged the media to take responsibility and avoid allowing their platform from being used to excite political tension ahead of the next year’s general polls.

He said the situation where people insulted those they disagreed with, made inflammatory pronouncements and enacted doomsday scenario on FM radio stations, was quite troubling and must stop.

Mr. Anarfi-Mensah said it was important for all regardless of the different views and opinions they held to accept live in peace.

Speaking at a day’s stakeholders’ engagement organized by the Regional Peace Council in Kumasi, he said that was the way forward to grow and deepen the nation’s democracy.

It provided the platform to discuss issues pertinent to the peaceful conduct of the coming presidential and parliamentary elections.

In attendance were members of the Peace Council from Ashanti, Eastern and Brong-Ahafo Regions, the police and other security agencies, the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).

The Regional Minister said the expectation was that the media would uphold high standards of professionalism and aid the people to appreciate the need to sustain the peace.

Professor Seth Opuni-Asiamah, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Council, said it would continue to play its roles in advocacy and training well to ensure the success of election 2016.

He said they were not organizing the engagement because they anticipated chaotic elections but to learn from experiences to help re-orient their thoughts and actions towards an event-free elections.

Prof. Opuni-Asiamah underlined the need for the key actors to play by the rules and educate the people on their responsibilities.

Mr. Francis Azumah, the Executive Secretary, called for more support to enable the Council to effectively carry through its plans and programmes.