The United States has commended the presidential candidates in Ghana’s forthcoming elections for signing the 4th Presidential Elections Peace Pact.

The U.S. congratulated the National Peace Council and the Institute of Democratic Governance “for their tireless stewardship of this important initiative.”

The presidential candidates for the 2024 General Election Thursday signed a Peace Pact to ensure harmony and peace before, during, and after the December 7 polls.

It was initiated by the National Peace Council and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) to provide the platform for the presidential candidates to pledge to commit to peace in the upcoming general election.

The Peace Pact, the fourth in the series, was signed at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra, with eight out of the 12 candidates present while four were represented.

Rolf A. Olson, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S Embassy, Accra, in a press release said, “the will of the Ghanaian people must not be thwarted by the threat of violence before, during, or after the upcoming elections.”

“The United States wishes Ghana a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process on December 7.”

The flagbearers of the two major political parties: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Mr John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), were present to sign the pact.

The other candidates were George Twum-Barima-Adu, an Independent Candidate, Hassan Ayariga, All People’s Congress, Kofi Koranteng, an Independent Candidate, and Nana Akosua-Frimpomaa, Convention People’s Party.

The rest were Kofi Akpaloo, Liberal Party of Ghana, and Dr Daniel Augustus Lartey Jnr, Great Consolidated Popular Party, and Mohammed Frimpong, National Democratic Party.

Alan John Kyerematen of the Movement for Change was represented by Nana Ohene Ntow, Christian Kwabena Andrew of Ghana Union Movement was represented by his Vice Presidential Candidate, Evelyn Serwa Bonsu, Nana Kwame Bediako of The New Force was represented by his Aide.

They all pledged their commitment to maintaining the peace and stability and urged all stakeholders to do same, as a peaceful election is a shared responsibility.

Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, said Ghana had been a beacon of democracy and shinning example of promoting democratic tenets in Africa and beyond.

Therefore, it was incumbent on all the presidential candidates, political parties, the Electoral Commission, the security agencies, the judiciary and the media to ensure accountability and avert actions that could create conflicts.