The Kassena-Nankana Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has reactivated its Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) to act as a buffer zone to stem suspicions and anxiety among political parties in the constituencies.

The reactivated five-member Committee include Reverend Father Peter Ayamga, a Catholic Priest as Chairman, Mr Gazale Faridu, a representative of the Municipal Chief Imam as the Deputy Chairman, and Madam Felicia Ajongbah, the Municipal Director of the NCCE, as Secretary.

The rest are Madam Victoria Asolewono from the Department of Community Development, representing Catholic women, as Treasurer, while Mr Sanjage Braimah, a representative from Civil Society, is the Organiser.

Addressing participants at the programme, Madam Ajongbah said credible and peaceful elections were critical components of democracy and good governance.

She noted that elections in most developing countries, especially in Africa, had unfortunately brought in their wake violence resulting in untold hardships, stress, and wanton destruction of lives and property.

She said Ghana was among the few countries in Africa that have made significant progress with regards to free and fair elections since its return to constitutional rule.

“Ghana has chalked an impressive record of success, an unprecedented enjoyment of uninterrupted stable democratic rule. As a result, Ghana has been internationally acclaimed as one of the beacons of democratic governance not only in West Africa, but the African Continent as a whole,” she said.

Madam Ajongbah said Ghanaians had, over the years, continued to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law, free, vibrant and liberalised media landscape and the promotion of democracy in general.

“As a result of Ghana’s record, there is the dire need to deepen and consolidate these democratic tenets and credentials. Ghana’s situation, therefore, provides enough justification for the formation of the IPDCs that will act as a buffer zone in the constituencies to stem the tide of unnecessary suspicions and anxiety among political parties,” she said.

The IPDC is a platform that offers opportunity for the NCCE and its major stakeholders to engage with the electorate on issues concerning the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

The purpose of the IPDCs, as stated in the Sustainable Development Goal-16, is to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

On its operational areas, Madam Ajongbah said the Committee would monitor breaches of the rules and regulations regarding the electoral process, investigate cases of abuse and resolve petty conflicts or misunderstandings that may affect the process.

The Deputy Regional Programmes Officer of the NCCE, Mr Samuel Akologo, said the Committee would ensure that political party activities were carried out in a peaceful manner.

Reverend Father Ayamga, on his part, urged leadership of the various political parties to ensure that the elections were conducted peacefully devoid of conflicts.

He advised the youth not to allow themselves to be used as instruments to cause trouble, adding “The peace of the country must be maintained before, during and after the general election”.

Political Party leaders at the end of the programme pledged to be agents of change in their respective parties to ensure peaceful and violent- free elections.