Women traders have embarked on a peaceful demonstration march through the principal streets of the Tamale metropolis ahead of the upcoming December elections.
The demonstrators with placards are calling for peace before, during, and after the crucial elections in the country.
Addressing the enthusiastic crowd at Naa Dakpema’s Palace the after the demonstration, the President of the Northern Women for Peace, Madam Sara Ajara Musah said: “The main purpose of our visit is to call on you to use your esteem and royal office to promote peace in the Northern Region and Ghana at large in this crucial election year”.
“We strongly believe that your influence can help maintain peace among the good people of Tamale and beyond before, during and after the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for the 7th December, 2016”.
According to her, violent political conflicts rob the nation of vast human resources, robs woman of their husbands, breadwinners, children and resources that they have so much toiled for in many years.
For instance, Madam Musah cited some skirmishes which took place in Bawku and Aglogboshie in Accra a few years ago to buttress her point.
She advised political party leaders to behave like good mothers sharing a piece of pie among young children, stressing that; “in the absence of the motherly or proper guidance, many selfish and greedy people will go out of their way to misconduct themselves and create undesirable tension in our peaceful Tamale and Ghana as a whole”.
Madam Musah emphasised: “The Northern Women for Peace have chosen this path of peace because we believe in life, because we believe in humanity; because we believe that political parties need peace to rule the country and improve the living standard of Ghanaians”.
“We do not believe that any problem could be resolved through the destruction of life, the protection of which in the last count. We believe that peace is more than the simple absence of war”.
She therefore called on the law enforcement agencies to be impartial and mount surveillance to nib potentially violent situations in the bud.
Madam Musah also used the occasion to appeal to the traditional authorities and political parties to control the youth and ensure that they play by the rules and regulations laid down by Ghana’s electoral system.
“We need strong and continued support from the various election observer groups and missions, including the international community and especially from our friends in the United Kingdom and USA to monitor the December elections”.
She urged all political parties to remain peaceful and carry out their campaigns in decorum and Ghana will emerge victorious after the elections in December in mutual understanding, reconciliation leading to Ghana’s development.
The Northern Women for Peace once again pleaded with the traditional ruler to add his voice to the clarion call for peace anytime the politicians pay courtesy call on him.
By Clement Boateng, Tamale, African Eye Report
