The Reverend Professor Emmanuel Yoa Nash, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Leadership Awards has called on Embassies in Ghana not to issue visas to politicians and their families till after the December 7, polls.
He said such an initiative would ensure that politicians did not influence the acts of violence in the country with the aim of leaving with their families when things got out of hand during the elections.
“When politicians know that they cannot leave the country at any point in time during electioneering period, they will be decent in whatever they do or say.”
Rev. Prof. Nash who made the call at the awards night of the Ghana Leadership Awards held in Accra called on the National Peace Council (NPC), the National House of Chiefs (NHC) and all stakeholders of peace to monitor, name, shame and sanction media outfits that allowed their outlets to be used to create tension in the country during elections.
"We are also asking institutions that have the obligation to maintain and sustain peace to act in a manner that would help remove all oppressive structures from our societies".
The CEO said social institutions such as the NPC, the NHC and other Civil Society Organisations ought to get involved by holding politicians who engage in violent campaigns to check and that the institutions ought to act responsibly in order to remove all oppressive structures that were inimical to national peace and stability.
He called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to apply the electoral laws firmly without discrimination especially regarding the major political parties since any attempt to bend the rules could spark violence.
"I also urge the political parties to see the EC as a key partner in the democratic process by constantly seeking clarification on issues that they did not understand rather than attacking the integrity of the Commission.
"We need to know as a people that the EC is the mandatory body for the conduct of our elections and support the Commission to discharge its duties in a peaceful manner, rather than creating conditions that will spark violence and put the electoral body into disrepute."
The Ghana Leadership Awards is held to Honour outstanding persons who contributed in diverse ways to the nation’s development.
Some Awardees included; Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba, Former Minister for Gender and the Executive Director the of Henry Djaba Foundation, Apostle Dr Samuel Obeng-Mensah, Head of Administration, Ga East Municipal Hospital, Bishop Dr Charles Hackman, General Overseer of the Fire City Chapel, Mr David Dontoh, a Veteran Actor, some Musicians , Chiefs, Journalists amongst other outstanding personalities.
