As the elections approach, the role of the Electoral Commission (EC) in ensuring peace in Ghana has never been more critical. The manner in which the EC will execute its duties will hold the essential key to peace or the opening of the Pandorax’s box. With the political temperature already boiling at almost hundred degrees and aiming to break records, the EC must see to it that the December 7, 2008 elections are free, fair, and transparent. Anything short of this, I am afraid, may be the opening of the Pandorax’s box and its related contagion. That shouldn’t be allowed to happen to our dear country and our newly-found democratic dispensation. The EC must exude truth, impartiality, fairness, transparency at all times, from beginning to end, to enhance the consolidation of our young democracy. Dishonesty, partiality, fear or favor exhibited by the EC could wreck our democracy. Government is expected to support the EC to ensure that the elections are conducted freely, fairly, and transparently without intimidation and rigging.

Elections observers: a combination of Foreign, Independent, and Local Observers should be deployed in all polling stations, especially in flash areas such as Dagbon and Bawku to facilitate transparent voting. This will ensure that rigging will be hard to execute by members of any party. Also, adequate security should be provided in Dagbon and Bawku to enable the people in these volatile areas to exercise their franchise peacefully. The security forces should remain neutral and fair to members of all political parties.

Fellow Ghanaians, let us not forget that a nation divided is a nation defeated. So let us live together in peace and build Ghana together.

Peace for Dagbon! Peace for Ghana!

Thank you.

By: Natogmah Issahaku

(Dagbon Peace, Re-unification and Development Advocate)