[ 2019-03-07 ]

President calls on political leaders to set proper tone for discourse
Tamale (N/R), March 6, GNA - President Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday called on leaders
across the political divide to set the proper tone
for political discourse in Ghana.

He said it was unacceptable that the political
process in the country had become antagonistic as
a result of the conduct and utterances of
politicians, thereby threatening to erode the
democratic gains that Ghana had made over
decades.

President Akufo-Addo made the call when he
delivered the 62nd Independence Anniversary
Address at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in
Tamale.

Marked on the theme: “Celebrating Peace and
Unity," the Independence Day Celebration was held
outside Accra, for the first time, to underline
the unity of the nation and to solidify the peace
and reconciliation Dagbon is enjoying after
decades of strife and uncertainties.

President Akufo-Addo was emphatic that there could
be no room for violence in the political discourse
of Ghana because “the very concept of
political violence is offensive and shames us all
who are in politics."

He said that competitive politics should be
characterised by mutual respect and not
divisiveness adding: “We the leaders of the
political parties have a great responsibility to
set a proper tone for political discourse in our
country.”

Politics, he said, should be a contest of ideas
that sough to win the hearts and minds of the
people, and not a source of friction and
conflict.

President Akufo-Addo said political success should
reflect in the number of educated youth, who were
gainfully employed after school and “not by
how many young people can be marshalled to disrupt
elections or how many broken bones we can count."

“The people of Ghana do not deserve to be
toyed with in such a reckless manner,” he
said, and expressed the hope that the mooted
meeting between the New Patriotic Party and the
National Democratic Congress would address the
nagging and vexed issue of political thuggery.

The President vowed to leave no stone unturned to
ensure that Ghana's political sphere was violence
free.

"I will spare no effort to ensure the nation is
rid of politically-related violence," he stated,
and called on all and sundry to shun acts that
have the potential to undermine the peace of the
country.

President Akufo-Addo expressed the hope that the
realisation of peace in the decade-old Dagbon
impasse would create the impetus to settle all
other chieftaincy disputes in the country.

He said it was time for a critical look at the
chieftaincy institution because it was the
"embodiment of our culture" and the first point of
settlement for disputes.

President Akufo-Addo said the avoidance of
conflict in the chieftaincy institution was
critical to its survival and that "where chiefs
offer forward-looking leadership there is
modernisation and development.’’

He expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people of
the North for keeping faith with government while
it sought a lasting solution to their challenges.

He expressed the assurance that with the coming
into being of the new regions the development gaps
in the area would be addressed to ensure the
prosperity of the people.

He urged Ghanaians to make out time to tour areas
of the North to familiarize themselves with their
culture as well as to boost domestic tourism.

Present at the event were the the first Lady Mrs
Rebecca Akufo-Addo, President of Niger, Mahamadou
Issoufou, Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia and
his wife, Samira, the Speaker of Parliament
Professor Mike Ocquaye and his wife, former
presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Dramani
Mahama and the Chief of Staff, Madam Frema Akosua
Osei Opare.

Other dignitaries included members of the Council
of State, eminent traditional rulers and clergy,
diplomats, senior government officials, members of
Parliament, Ministers and Service Commanders.

Source - GNA

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