NEB condemns NDC organiser’s “unacceptable” statement

The National Enforcement Body (NEB) has condemned electoral actions that seek to undermine the December polls stressing that the purported schemes with some party foot soldiers by Mr. Yaw Boateng Gyan, the NDC National Organiser, is reprehensible.

In a statement to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), the NEB said it regarded Mr. Boateng Gyan’s utterances, as recorded on tape, as highly unacceptable.

“The Political Parties Code of Conduct enjoins all political parties and candidates to publicly and without reservation condemn all forms of intimidation and political violence irrespective of the perpetrators.

Accordingly, all political parties have renounced violence and pledged not to indulge in violence and intimidation of any kind.

The NEB has therefore advised the youth, party activists and the general public not to avail themselves to be used by politicians to engage in actions that can lead to violence and civil unrest.

In the lead up to the elections, the NEB said, it was equally concerned about revelations made by Mr. Boateng Gyan with regard to drafting NDC supporters into the National Security apparatus and issuing them with National Security Identity Cards.

The utterances in the said recording, in the view of the NEB, had the tendency to create anarchy before, during and after the elections.

“Therefore, the NEB requests the National Security Council to brief the public on its position on these issues without delay.”

The NEB reminded political parties to the commitments they made as enshrined in the 2012 Political Parties Code of Conduct.

The Code enjoins political parties to desist from the use of inflammatory language, heightening of ethnic and other tensions, personal attacks and acts of violence, either directly by themselves, through leaders, assigns, members, representatives, agents and privies or by proxies.

The Code says all political parties and candidates shall at all times uphold rules, freedoms and rights of citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution. All parties shall recognize at all times that sovereignty resides in the people of Ghana.

The NEB has therefore appealed to political parties, party activists and foot soldiers to desist from actions which have the potential to disrupt the peace and security of the nation, especially in the lead up to the elections.

“All political parties and functionaries are admonished to uphold a civil conduct to ensure peaceful and violence-free elections,” the statement stated.

The National Enforcement Body (NEB), established under the auspices of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), is to monitor compliance with the 2012 Political Parties Code of Conduct.