The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has urged political parties across the country to desist from monetisation of politics in a run-up to the December elections.

According to the Conference, this canker affects the principles that have underpinned Ghana's democracy over the past years.

A statement signed by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale and President of the Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh explained that "this corrupts the nobility of politics, and distorts people’s power and will under influence of money."

"Politicians are elected not for their good leadership qualities, their high moral and ethical values, as well as the noble vocation to serve the common good and the country, but for “mammon”. Let us eschew such political and electoral corruption!"

This conclusion, coupled with the need to end political violence was communicated in a communique dubbed "Politics for Nation Building and Social Cohesion in Ghana."

In June 2020, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) signed the Code of Conduct and Roadmap to ending political vigilantism, with a call on the National Peace Council (NPC) to take steps to help eliminate the scourge of vigilantism in the country.

The roadmap was developed by a technical committee following a series of dialogues organised by the NPC after a  by-election to elect a new Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon in January 2019 was marred by violent incidents at a polling station.

In the Pastoral Letter from the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, the body opined that political vigilant must not be allowed to distort the peace manner expected in the usher in the electoral process.

This sort of electoral violence, the Conference believes if not nipped in the bud have the potential to "plague the 2020 elections, in spite of the enactment of legislations and the endorsement and signing of an inter-party code of conduct and a roadmap to peace."

The Bishops' Conference however encouraged statkeholders to root out any firm of ethnicity in the political space while urging the media to be circumspect in reportage.

The statement signed on August 10 also called President Akufo-Addo to "ensure that citizens live in conditions of adequate peace and security, and also ensure a level playing field for all contestants, political parties and candidates in the December 2020 elections."

The Electoral commission was also entreated to conduct its dealings in a transparent manner.

"The Electoral Commission of Ghana is to ensure an electoral process that is free, fair and transparent for all political parties and candidates in order to prevent people who may feel unfairly treated resorting to violence."