Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has indicated that the Bawku conflict has escalated to the recent level because there is lack of proactiveness in addressing tensions in the country.
According to him, if there had been measures to curb the tensions that existed at Bawku and its environs, what is happening today leading to loss of lives would have been curbed.
John Mahama says the mere absence of conflict does not mean there is peace, but rather, the pursuit of justice and respect for all, urging all stakeholders to fulfill their part in ensuring peace in the lead up to, during and after the December 07 polls.
In a post made on his Facebook Monday, October 04, 2024, after attending the National Peace Campaign launch Sunday, he established why justice is paramount in ensuring a peaceful society.
He urged Ghanaians to come on board in “relentlessly” pursuing “a just society where every Ghanaian feels secure and valued.”
“I have always believed that we need a proactive attitude towards peace”, he stated, adding that if the State had been proactive about pursuing peace, the state of the Bawku situation wouldn’t have been where it is today.
“Had we been proactive in addressing the tensions in our midst, perhaps we would not have faced tragedies such as those in Bawku, where lives are being lost and families are being shattered,” he stated.
“Peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice, fairness and mutual respect. We must not forget that true peace cannot exist without justice,” he said in his Facebook post.
He pledged on behalf of the NDC, the party and his personal commitment to peace as the December elections near.
“On behalf of the National Democratic Congress, I solemnly commit to upholding the values of dialogue, respect, and justice for all. We pledge to be the voice of the voiceless and to stand alongside every Ghanaian committed to peace—a peace grounded in justice,” he added.
The National Peace Campaign launch was organised by the Ghana Pentecostal & Charismatic Council, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Office of the National Chief Imam, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, as well as the National Association of Charismatic Christian Churches.
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