Don't use small arms during elections

Page 31: November 4, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE President of the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), Mr Baffour Dokyi Amoa, has called on Ghanaians to avoid the use of small arms and light weapons during and after the December polls.
"WAANSA would like to take this opportunity to remind the good people of Ghana that it is ironic for anyone seeking to rule this country to want to destroy it in the first place," he said.
Mr Amoa made the call when WAANSA presented 4,000 of two posters it had printed to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to enable the NCCE to educate Ghanaians on the need to use the ballot to build the nation and not bullets to destroy it.
According to him, as Ghana’s elections were barely a month away, it was time for Ghanaians to act positively and peacefully.
"We should not act in ways that would cause offence. Neither should we make provocative pronouncements or conduct ourselves in ways that would satisfy our self-fulfilling prophecies," he said.
Mr Amoa said the unfortunate incidents in Fadama, Bawku, Gushiegu and Tamale in the Greater Accra, Upper East and Northern regions had reawakened the fears of the presence of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.
He reminded Ghanaians of the irreparable damage and harm such weapons cause and urged those in possession of them to submit them to the security forces.
He said this was the time for youth leaders in the communities and political parties to advise their followers to work to protect the country.
Mr Amoa called on the Intra Party Action Committee (IPAC) and the Electoral Commission (EC) to intensify their interactions so as to build the confidence of all stakeholders to guarantee the credibility of the outcome of the elections.
A deputy chairperson of the NCCE in-charge of Programmes, Mr Baron Amoafo, who received the posters, commended WAANSA for the support.
He said the NCCE would use the posters to educate Ghanaians, particularly the political parties for an incident free elections.