Avoid electoral violence – Gomoa Potsin Chief urges political parties

The Chief of Gomoa Pontsin, Nana Twaeku Adansuwah IX, has admonished political party actors to desist from enticing the youth to engage in violence during and after the December 7 polls for peace and harmony to prevail.

Political party leaders, he noted, were expected to create the enabling environment for the teeming unemployed youth to acquire gainful jobs instead of influencing them to cause mayhem during elections.

Nana Adansuwah was addressing members of the Community Partnership for Citizens Action International Development (COPCAID), a non-governmental organisation, after ‘A Walk for Peaceful Election 2024’ at Gomoa Potsin in the Central Region.

The three-kilometre peace walk was jointly organised by KGL Foundation, COPCAID, and other stakeholders from the Gomoa Potsin-Junction to the Community Centre.

It was to create awareness on the need for peace and togetherness among all political actors to prevent electoral violence.

The Chief urged political parties to incorporate job creation policies and programmes into their manifestoes to harness the talents of the Ghanaian youth.

He cautioned the youth not to allow themselves to be influenced with small amounts of money by political actors to “snatch ballot boxes and cause violence at voting centres” as the law would take its course.

He appealed to the government to construct the Gomoa Postin- Junction to Gomoa Awomerew Road, which links to the main Agona Swedru /Winneba –Junction Road, to facilitate commercial activities.

Chief Inspector Appiah Kubi, in charge of the Gomoa Potsin Police Station, cautioned the youth against violent acts as the political campaign heats up.

“It will be prudent for all Ghanaians to protect the peace for the transformation and development of the country,” he said.

Chief Inspector Appiah Kubi said the security forces were ready to discharge their duties during and after the general election and warned the youth against indulging in practices that would undermine the progress of the country.

Mr Benjamin Buabeng, Project Coordinator for Hero Network, and Convener of the peace walk, said Ghanaians must avoid electoral violence because it created huge setback to a country’s transformation, where women, children, and people with disability suffered the most.

He said political leaders must tolerate one another and endeavour to initiate programmes to benefit society in its entirety.

Mr Michael Aggrey, Programmes Manager of COPCAID, said the peace walk was the first in the series of campaigns to ensure continuous awareness creation for a violence- free election.