The realities of Covid-19, at a time when the case count is rising and death tolls are increasing; there certainly is a lot on our plate to worry about on daily basis. Adding all the noisy politicking for a simple voter registration exercise is disturbing our peace at this critical time. 

As we ushered in the eighth month and seeing we are inching close to the month of December, I have been praying and asking the Lord to grant us the fortitude to cope with the combined stresses of a pandemic and politics of acrimony.

Lives upside down

Both running concurrently, Covid-19 and the noisy partisan politics are a bit much to process no matter how hard one tries to dismiss them from the mind’s eye.  The media would not even spare us the peace and quiet. It is a bad time for any focused thoughts.  The pandemic has turned lives upside down.  Some are in pensive moods having lost their jobs and therefore, their livelihoods. 

Did I hear the Government Statistician on television the other day say that around 82,000 people have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic?  Anyone in this unfortunate category must be thinking more about how to sustain body and soul.  They probably dismissed going to queue to register.  That was not a priority for them.

Many more, due to Covi-19, are living on diminished income so as to keep to their jobs and are desperately in search of other supportive income to survive on.  Schools are closed and children are at home with appetites that know no moderation and need to be satisfied at all cost.

Peace within families

Partial lockdown is not helping peace within families either.  People are bored stiff working from home with nowhere to go for socialisation on weekends.  Even funerals these days are strictly by invitation whereas before the pandemic it was free for all, a fashion catwalk with a buffet and danceable music to ease off boredom.

There have been media reports, no matter how isolated, of increase in domestic violence.  There have been reported cases of spousal abuse as well as child abuse.  Unhealthy frictions and cracks in relationships are said to be festering.

The threat of the deadly virus has taken away so much from the agenda of otherwise peaceful happy families. Would anyone in such a quagmire have the presence of mind for anything meaningful especially with acrimonious politicking hovering in the balance?

Panic and fear

Psychologists are said to be overwhelmed with a rising number of cases referred to them, according to a spokesperson of the Association of Clinical Psychologists when he appeared on the news the other time.  From the stress and worry of job losses, the loss of dear ones to the disease, to domestic insecurities, the panic and fear are getting overwhelming with a disease that has no cure as yet.  The last anyone need in such an environment is needless political violence where ethnic trump card is being wagged around so callously.

Yet, history has reminded us over and over again that some countries ended up in war caused by little sparks from tribal feuds.  Anyone who has never watched the 2004 drama film on the award winning “Hotel Rwanda” may want to refresh his or her memory and situate it in the context of the politics of ethnicity.  Ghana does not need that.

We need the peace of mind and the unity of purpose to fight the enemy of a ferocious coronavirus in our backyard and not ourselves.  Our lives have been turned upside down and at a time like this, one needs peace and not confusion that would exacerbate our problems.

Gratification

For now, one takes gratification in a statement made by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) earlier this week.  During a visit to the Savannah Region on a separate mission, he is reported to have stated on television that the police will do whatever is possible to ensure a peaceful election, come December. 

That is all one needs.  If a simple registration exercise could go with such acrimony then what would the voting day itself and the build-up to it look like?  On the back of the IGP’s assurance, we can only ask the Lord to help us cope with our lives when December 7 finally arrives and indeed we will cope, God being our helper.

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You can contact the writer via email: vickywirekoandoh@yahoo.com