A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Manifesto 2024 Committee, Peter Boamah Otokunor, has insisted that the party will not sign a peace pact for the 2024 general election.

According to Peter Boamah Otokunor, signing a peace part is meaningless unless there is a genuine commitment from all stakeholders to prevent electoral violence and ensure justice.

“And so for this time around, for us to be able to sign any peace pact, we must see a clear indication that there is a clear commitment, genuine commitment from the state, actors and stakeholders to have an outcome that is acceptable by all,” he said.

His comment follows the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia outlining 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.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, George Amoh, has stated that the Council has acknowledged the conditions outlined by the opposition NDC but they will need to engage in negotiations to address the requirements.

• Read also: Peace Council urges political parties to agree to forge peace ahead of election

According to him, the Council's role is to mediate for peace to prevail, thus they appreciate the positions of the NDC.

But speaking on Joy FM’s Newsnight on Tuesday, August 20, Mr Otukunor stated that signing of peace pact does not yield peace in the election.

Reflecting on the 2020 elections, Otokunor noted that despite the NDC’s participation in a peace pact, widespread violence and confusion ensued, undermining the agreement.

He emphasized that simply signing a peace pact does not address the fundamental issues of electoral violence or the failure to prosecute those responsible for such acts.

According to him, since political actors do not deal with people who perpetuate the electoral violence, they believe it is a function of certain institutions of state – Ghana Police, Attorney General, and Judiciary, etc should be able to handle such.

"And so if you want to do a peace pact and ask NPP, NDC to come and sit down to sign peace pact, it is completely meaningless because between NPP and NDC, one is in power. While in power, one controls the police and AG and if the AG decides not to prosecute anything, you have signed the pact but the government thinks differently," he added.