Peace-loving Ghanaians received shocking news of man's inhumanity to man last weekend when certain unscrupulous supporters of the two leading political parties in the country - the incumbent New Patriotic Party and the opposition National Democratic Congress – crashed as Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the NPP, was addressing a rally at Tamale.
Reports on the number of casualties following gunshots allegedly fired by supporters of the NDC were inconsistent. Whereas some reports indicated that three people died on the spot and several others injured, other accounts showed that the dead people were seven in number, with some sustaining injuries.
Whichever way, there were casualties after the gunshots; and that indeed sent some cold down the spines of all law-abiding and peace-loving citizens of this nation.
Apparently dissatisfied with the number of casualties, the political fanatics, obeying the dictates of their mediocre minds, went on rampage and set some houses ablaze, rendering the dwellers – including innocent children – homeless and painfully traumatized.
It is very appalling and a high point of sadism that any time there is a fracas in the northern parts of the country houses are set on fire, unmindful of the plight of women and children.
This is a kind of brutish practice that immensely retards socio-economic growth. It is an unchallengeable fact that the three regions in the north are among the poorest in the country.
Quite a number of programmes, both governmental and private, have been carried out up north in a quest to bring the poverty level down so that the people's standard of living could be raised.
However, senseless conflicts – mostly borne out of chieftaincy matters - have been rendering all such poverty reduction programmes fruitless. Funds that are supposed to be used to create jobs for the youth in order for them to earn a meaningful living, are often dissipated on wanton and shameful conflicts.
And these clashes, coming at a time when the nation is gearing up for crucial elections, create the impression that the December polls are not going to be held in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
In all ethnic or political confrontations, it is the youth who are always in the vanguard and calling the shots.
The Statesman does not believe that the violent youth operate in isolation. They definitely take instructions from people in certain positions who are supposed to know better. The unfortunate thing is that they (youth) easily allow themselves to be used to pursue the sinister agenda of the underground war-hungry and immature politicians.
Why should we as a nation, allow ourselves for politics to divide us? Belonging to a particular political party is a matter of choice; and so the fact that people belong to different parties does not make them enemies.
Calls come in day-in-day-out for the need to ensure peaceful elections – which are only 93 days away. Are there any serious measures in place to concretize these calls?
This paper is very much concerned about the security situation now, during and after the elections.
We implore the political leaders who are campaigning for votes to make sure that their rallies are heavily guarded by security personnel.
Politics, it is said, is about numbers. And if supporters of a particular party should die prematurely because of petty squabbles, what will be the chance of that party in respect of electoral victory?
The Statesman is hereby appealing to all party members and supporters to bear in mind that we are all brothers and sisters with different beliefs. It is unconstitutional to compel a person to belong to a particular association – be it social, religious, cultural, economic or political – and so we should co-exist peacefully.
Let us all be extra vigilant so that what happened in Tamale recently is not replicated anywhere during the electioneering campaigns.
No. Never again! No more violence.
It is our conviction that the perpetrators will be brought to book and severely punished to serve as a deterrent to others.
