‘NDC won’t sign peace pact unless …’

The National Democratic Congress says it will not sign the peace pact proposed by the Peace Council until some conditions are met.

National Chairman of the NDC, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia said, the failure of the government to investigate and prosecute those who perpetrated the 2020 electoral violence that resulted in the deaths of eight persons raises serious doubts about the commitment of the government to ensure peaceful polls.

He expressed these concerns in a meeting with members of the National Peace Council.

Mr. Asiedu Nketia added that the Peace Council which was supposed to be a voice against such violence has failed to pressurize the government to investigate the killings and prosecute the perpetrators.

The NDC National Chairman said the first condition was the implementation of the Commission of Enquiry Report of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission of Inquiry that investigated the violent incidents at the Ayawa

Additionally, the party demanded the initiation of prosecution in respect of the killings in Techiman South Ablekuma Central, Banda and Ododiodio.

According to the NDC, the case of the illegal printing and handling of about one million extra ballot papers that were intercepted and destroyed by the police has also not been dealt with by the police and the courts.

The NDC also demanded transparency in the investigations on the case of missing IT equipment from the warehouses of the Electoral Commission. “We suspect that the equipment is not missing and is being kept for some unwholesome activity. Were the suspects arrested and exhibits found in them or we still don’t know the whereabouts of the equipment…” he queried. “Our confidence in the IT system in the Electoral Commission has been shaken”, he added.

“We want the president to declare openly that he will respect the will of the people as expressed by the outcome of the 2024 December election results…it will put to rest all the noise around us about the refusal or unpreparedness to hand over power even if they lose the elections,” the NDC Chairman requested.

The NDC finally demanded that the IGP, Chief Justice, the Attorney General and the National Security Coordinator sign onto the document with the Monitoring Group committing to naming and shaming publicly anybody who reneges on his obligation as far as the implementation of the electoral laws are concerned.