Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has voiced strong skepticism regarding the effectiveness of peace declarations in preventing electoral violence.
Speaking in an interview, Asiedu Nketia declared that the NDC will not participate in any such agreements as the upcoming election approaches. “Signing a peace declaration doesn’t mean anything to the party, as previous pacts have not yielded any real results,” he asserted, emphasizing that symbolic gestures do little to address the root causes of violence.
Asiedu Nketia criticized the focus on peace agreements after tensions have already escalated, advocating instead for proactive measures to prevent violence.
“If you allow violence to brew, it will happen whether you sign a declaration or not,” he warned, explaining that he had previously called for the removal of factors that could lead to electoral violence. His remarks underscore a broader critique of the reliance on symbolic actions rather than substantive interventions.
Highlighting past failures, Asiedu Nketia pointed out that despite efforts by bodies like the Council of State and the Peace Council, the 2020 election still saw significant violence.
“Signing or not signing is not the issue. What we need to address are the building blocks that lead to violence,” he insisted. He also raised concerns about the illegal recruitment of approximately 10,000 individuals into the security services, warning that this could be a potential source of unrest.
