Four out of the six parliamentary candidates contesting Sunyani East Constituency seat on Thursday pledged their commitment to promote and maintain peace despite their political differences to ensure peaceful Election 2012.

They are Mr Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh 46, a lawyer and incumbent New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament, Mr Philip Awuah 59, National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Sampson Sampana Alanyina 38, People’s National Convention and Mrs Vivian Tetteh, Progressive Peoples Party.

The candidates made the commitment at a day’s public debate in Sunyani to submit themselves to questions concerning the development of the constituency.

The organisers of the programme said they could not Mr Anthony Nana Antwi-Boasiako, for the National Democratic Party and Mr Michael Kwame Mensah Asare, an Independent Candidate.

The debate, jointly organised by the Sunyani Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and Brong-Ahafo Regional Inter-Party Dialogue Committee afforded the candidates an opportunity to address the electorate on how to tackle their socio-economic challenges in the area.

It was under four thematic areas of education, housing, youth unemployment and commitment to peace.

The participants included members from faith-based organisations, the media, academia, security agencies, trade unions, assembly members and the public.

Mr Cheremeh said achievement of peace is a shared responsibility through a collaborative effort by stakeholders.

He urged the Electoral Commission to play its role fairly as a neutral referee without fear or favour whilst politicians should exhibit honesty to the public.

Mr Cheremeh appealed to the security agencies to perform their duties professionally beyond partisan interest.

He implored the Ghana Police Service to allow the law to take its rightful course against electoral offenders irrespective of their political affiliations.

Mr Awuah pledged to impress on activists and sympathisers of the NDC to comport themselves for a peaceful co-existence in the electioneering to ensure peace in the constituency and the country as a whole.

He appealed to the Police to deal drastically with anyone who would flout the electoral laws and indulged in acts likely to mar Election 2012.

Mr Awuah, an educationist is the Deputy Director in-charge of Finance and Administration at the Sunyani Municipal Directorate of Education.

Mr Sampana a trained teacher and Public Relations Officer at Dormaa East District Directorate of Education and Mrs Tetteh, a teacher added their voices for peaceful elections.

Right Reverend Dr Festus Yeboah Asuamah, Anglican Bishop of Sunyani asked Ghanaians to condemn anyone who would engage in acts that could mar Election 2012 and disturb the prevailing peace.

He noted that political power achieved at the expense of peace is meaningless and asked the candidates as well as leadership of political parties, activists and sympathisers to “allow the power of love to replace the love for power”.

Bishop Asuamah who is also the Regional Chairman of Christian Council of Ghana said the best way to sustain the prevailing peace in the constituency and the country as a whole is to ensure that “The more we sweat in peace, the less we breed in war”.

Mr Issah Nasigri, Regional Director of NCCE said the debate was aimed at deepening democratic development in the constituency and the country at large, and draw attention to the fact that political mandate resides with the electorate.