Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ben Ahmed, Commander of James Town Divisional Police in the Greater Accra Region, has urged the youth to avoid actions that could disrupt the country’s peace.

His advice came after reports of post-election violence following the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Over 100 people, mostly youth, have been arrested for alleged election-related offences.

These include attacks on state institutions like the Ghana Gas Company, Tema Harbour, and Passport Office, and suspected arson on election materials in various constituencies.

Speaking at a post-election violence sensitization exercise for Odododiodioo Constituency residents, ASP Ahmed urged the youth to refrain from violent actions, emphasizing that election victories should not justify misbehaviour.

He warned that continued violence could jeopardize the hard-won peace Ghana has enjoyed for over 30 years.

“When you support a particular party and the party wins, it is not a licence to misbehave.

“You do not say that last time, when party A won, they did this and because of that now that we have also won, we are also going to retaliate.

“The violence that we are all preaching against, when you do that, it comes about, the violence will naturally come and what follows violence is chaos, rioting, conflict,” he emphasised.

The sensitization exercise was part of ongoing efforts to prevent post-election violence and maintain the country’s peace.

Organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), it aimed to foster understanding and reduce tensions.

ASP Ahmed stressed the need to uphold democratic principles and urged citizens to address grievances through lawful channels.

He said that resolving conflicts peacefully was essential to ensuring continued peace and stability in the nation.

“We must understand and appreciate that in a democracy there are always structures.

“We just do not move from one and go to five, we do not move from five and go to twenty, but we move from one, we come to two, go to three… You follow the structures,” he said.

ASP Ahmed noted that peace must be safeguarded at all costs, stating, “Peace is not a commodity you can buy from any shop; it resides in us individually.”

He commended the constituents of Odododiodioo for ensuring a relatively peaceful election on December 7, 2024, but warned the youth against actions that could damage the area’s reputation.

ASP Ahmed urged them to promote harmony and to avoid engaging in any behaviour that might disrupt the peace and progress of the community.

“If you cannot add to the image of Odododiodioo, please, do not subtract. Leave Odododiodioo as it is now so that there will not be any violence,” he advised.
Mrs. Gloria Amarki Kudo, Deputy Chairperson of the Greater Accra Region NCCE, condemned the attacks on state institutions and urged the youth to respect the due process for a smooth transition of power.

She stressed that democracy is a gradual process and called on Ghanaians to continue upholding the principles of the 1992 Constitution to ensure the progress made over the last 30 years is built upon.

Mrs Kudo also advised the public to report any illegal activities to the security agencies rather than taking the law into their own hands to prevent further violence across the country.

Mr. Samuel Asare Akuamoah, Deputy NCCE Chair in charge of Operations, urged political leaders to rein in their supporters, reminding them that while the constitution guaranteed the right to protest, such actions must always comply with the law.

He also encouraged Ghanaians to assert their rights through proper legal channels and in line with the country’s governance system.

“Not to say anyone should allow themselves to be cheated, but we demand our rights based on the laid down regulations that pertain to the election and the general governance of our country,” he stressed.

Mr Akuamoah also called for a peaceful resolution to conflicts recorded in the aftermath of the December 7 polls to ensure peaceful co-existence.