The National Peace Council (NPC) has called on Ghanaians to stop acts of acrimony and come together to develop common strategies to sustain the peace in the country especially before, during and after the 2016 elections.

Mr Francis Azuimah, Executive Secretary of the Council made the call in Tamale on Friday during a meeting with civil society organizations (CSOs) operating in the Northern Region to share ideas, experiences and challenges during and after the 2012 elections and to see how best they could improve on the 2016 elections.

Mr Azuimah said it was the responsibility of all Ghanaians to work harder to ensure that there was continuous peace in the country saying, “Ghana is not for politicians or for a particular political party.

What the Peace Council wants Ghanaians to know is that Ghana is bigger than any individual or a political party and we must instill in us nationalism for sustained peace in the country.”

He said acts of some politicians, individuals and political parties continue to divide the country, which was not good for nation-building and stressed that, “Ghana is one but not two” and advised Ghanaians to have the interest of the country and its vulnerable people at heart and join the NPC to seek peace.

He said, “We need to love one another and come together to develop common strategies for peace to ensure that the impending 2016 elections is conducted on a peaceful platform” and appealed to the business community to have a stake in the country’s peace process towards election 2016.

“Those of us who are responsible citizens, we quarrel with our spouses and sometimes beat each other but we still sleep on the same bed. We must therefore as Ghanaians learn to tolerate and forgive each other for the sake of the future generations”.

Mr Azuimah said no individual in the country could lay claim to the peaceful conduct of the 2012 elections because, “Every Ghanaian is credited for the 2012 success story.

The Kayayoo girl, who wrote a peace message on her head pan ‘I need peace for future’ is as important as any other Ghanaian who carried a message of peace.”

He advised NGOs not to use their structures to do politics in the communities, which would defeat the purpose of the NGO work while those with the civil service should not discuss politics in offices to avoid acrimony and apathy towards work.