A STICH IN TIME …

Page 7: Daily Graphic, April 25, 2012. ALL over the world, democratic elections afford the ordinary citizens the opportunity to hold their governments accountable and also have a say in the governance of their country and the management of its resources. It is also a fact that one democratic election does not change the political culture of a society overnight. There is also no democracy in the world where there is conflict and war. Democracy thrives best in peaceful and stable environments. It is in such peaceful environments and other collective efforts that nations are able to build an inclusive society that respects the rule of law and encourages full participation of the citizenry in the conduct of public affairs. Peace is, therefore, self-serving in every society. Businesses thrive and the populace are able to go about their daily chores without let or hindrance. The media, described as the fourth estate of the realm, also thrives best in a democracy. Any turbulence on the governance front will affect the fortunes of the media. The Daily Graphic has decided to commit itself to peace and will continue to advocate peace in the country. Without peace, we know our businesses will collapse and the beautiful country that we all cherish will not exist anymore. That is why the warning by a former National Security Coordinator, Mr Kofi Bentum Quantson, that threat of violence in the upcoming elections in December is real, and should not be downplayed. Coming from a man whose professional life has spanned the First Republic to the Fourth Republic, we believe Mr Quantson has seen it all. The Daily Graphic believes that the factors that he outlined: the persistent acrimonious relationship between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), aggravated by the crude intrusion of tribal politics; the continued phenomenon of media recklessness and the wild provocative inflammatory utterances of politicians - cannot be swept under the carpet. If for nothing at all, the violence and disturbances that have characterised the ongoing biometric voters registration exercise are evidence of what Mr Quantson is referring to. We need not forget that just as any other conflicts, violence does not pop suddenly. It has a gestation period before it explodes into full-blown violence. We cannot afford to let Ghana go the path of failed states. We think all Ghanaians, including the political office aspirants, must resolve not to lead this country on the path of conflict. This commitment from the political parties, office seekers and political activists is needed now more than ever. It is regrettable that our society has become so polarised and divided not only on political lines but along ethnic divisions. The situation has deteriorated to a level that even decent people and institutions shy away from commenting on national issues due to the level of fanaticism and chauvinism that has become the hallmark of our politics. The Daily Graphic believes that this is not healthy for our democracy and country. We must say no to the violence now. A stitch in time saves nine.