A FORMER Chief Director of the Ministry of the Interior, Mr Edwin Barnes, has stressed the need for the strengthening of inter-agency collaboration, particularly between the security services, the media, traditional leaders and civil society organisations, to ensure peace before, during and after the December elections.
He says peace is a prerequisite for development, adding that Ghanaians cannot compromise on the peace currently prevailing in the country.
"We have set for ourselves a certain stature in Africa, so let us try and maintain it. If Ghana is on fire, everyone would suffer for it", he said.
Mr Barnes made the remark when he delivered a paper on the topic "Inter-agency Collaboration for the December 2008 Election" at a workshop at Elmina at the weekend.
The workshop, which was organised by the National Peace Council (NPC), with sponsorship from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was aimed at promoting non-violent elections in December.
It was attended by traditional leaders, security personnel, officials of civil society organisations and media practitioners.
Mr Barnes said to ensure effective inter-agency collaboration, there was the need to build trust and transparency among agencies based on established ground rules, as well as the definition and understanding of roles.
He also suggested a system that would help manage or resolve conflicts, stressing that the judiciary must endeavour to handle electoral disputes with dispatch.
"Ghana is building a new democratic institution, so we should all give our support for its success. Every individual has a responsibility to discharge,” he added.
The security personnel at the workshop affirmed their commitment to ensuring smooth elections, urging individuals to furnish them promptly with information to enhance their work and help deal with acts of violence and crime.
For their part, the traditional leaders promised to educate their subjects on the need to promote peace before, during and after the December elections.
The clergy promised to preach peace to their congregation so as to ensure peaceful elections.
Some of the participants advised supporters of political parties, especially the youth, to avoid casting insinuations, engaging in the politics of insults and wearing of their party T-shirts to functions organised by other political parties.
They urged the media to regulate phone-in programmes such that derogatory remarks and foul language would be cut off, adding that media practitioners must show maturity and not allow social commentators to use their media to undermine the peace.
The participants advised Muslims not to allow themselves to be used to foment trouble during the electioneering but rather use the Ramadan to preach and promote peace.
The Omanhene of Mpohor in the Western Region, Osabarima Kwaw Entsi II, who chaired the function, urged the participants to share the knowledge they had acquired so as to spread the message of peace.
He also advised the youth to desist from violence, saying "Ghana is the only country we have, so we must ensure peace in the country".
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