Speakers at a peace forum in Accra, on Friday asked the citizenry to guard the peace the country is enjoying jealously in order to sustain it for the benefit of national cohesion and unity.

The forum asked the youth in particular to refrain from fomenting trouble and rather unite and work towards achieving peace at all times.

The forum was organised by the Centre for Community Studies, Action and Development (CENCOSAD), a non-governmental organization on the theme: “Promoting Health Rights and Accountability in a Peaceful and Fair 2012 Elections”.

The forum was attended by representatives of various political parties, youth groups, civil society and the media.

Nii Ankonu Annorbah-Sarpei, Acting Executive Director-CENCOSAD, said the forum precedes a two year project funded by DFID, DANIDA and European Union, aimed at galvanizing the citizenry to demand from political parties, political institutions and government, violence-free, transparent, fair and peaceful elections.

He said the project which would be carried out in selected districts in the Greater Accra, Western and Central regions would help orient 2,500 young people to promote peaceful and transparent elections in areas like Ashiedu Kete Sub-metro, Juaboso, Agona East District and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipality.

A platform would be created for another 2,500 people from the target assemblies to demand improved maternal and child health services, which includes family planning, emergency obstetric care services from politicians as outlined in political party manifestoes.

Mr Annnorbah-Sarpei explained that, the project would use citizens’ led approach for women, especially pregnant women who would be oriented and mobilized to participate in street campaigns to demand peaceful and fair elections and improved health service delivery.

Ms Ophelia Palm, a Nurse at the Ussher Polyclinic said, peace must start in the home where husband, wife and children work towards it in order to reflect in the entire community and the nation at large.

She said peace in the home, work place, schools and in the society enables everybody to unite, work together to keep surroundings clean to avoid diseases like cholera and typhoid thereby promoting the health of the people.

“Peace ensures and promotes good mental health, which is needed by all to live and work happily as citizens,” she added.

Ms Fuseina Mohammed, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, CENCOSAD said electoral conflicts must be avoided at all cost since it affects the country politically, economically and socially making it difficult for the vulnerable, including women and children to suffer impoverishment and abuses such as rape, human trafficking, displacement and death.

Ms Cecilia Dam, Civic Education Officer at the National Commission on Civic Education ,said, every Ghanaian had a civic responsibility to promote peace, especially in an election year, stressing that, all must be tolerant to one another which symbolises true democracy.

She said: “The whole world is watching Ghana and we must ensure that we monitor and involve ourselves in the elections during and after… in the bid to maintain… peace.”

Deputy Superintendent of Police Edna Kuadey of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service said the experience of conflicts was very bad so all should avoid such a negative phenomenon so “we all can live peacefully in our blessed nation”.**