New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Sekondi has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for their approach to signing the 2024 election peace pact.

According to Andrew Egyapa Mercer, the conditions set by the NDC are not the right way to eliminate election violence and instead reduce the issue to the usual back-and-forth between the NPP and NDC.

The Minister for Tourism's comment comes after the Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, reiterated the party’s stance not to commit to any peace pact ahead of the 2024 General Elections.

During a meeting with the National Peace Council on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, he outlined six conditions, including requiring the President, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief Justice, the National Security Coordinator, and the Attorney General to all sign the pact.

• Read also: NDC lays down 6 conditions under which it will sign Election 2024 Peace Pact

However, the National Peace Council appealed to political parties to eliminate any animosity and agree to forge peace as the general elections approach.

Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, August 24, Mr Mercer noted, “It reduces it to the usual NPP/NDC banter of equalisation where people also make references to previous elections and violence that were associated with those elections that to date remain unresolved.”

He acknowledged that it is valid for the NDC to raise concerns about past elections and express their reservations, however, said that because of the important role the peace pact plays, it should be executed regardless.

“But to make it a condition, clearly, it’s heightening political tension which as far as I’m concerned it’s needless,” he said.