Commandant of the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre, Major General Richard Addo Gyane as advised the media to remain circumspect in their reportage as the country inches closer to the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Giving his remarks at the second edition of the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Media and Security under the theme, “Safeguarding peace before, during and after Elections 2024, the role of the media and security actors, Maj. Gen. Gyane also threw a word of caution to security to remain neutral in the discharge of their duties so as to “court the confidence of the public”.
Underscoring the need for collaboration to ensure a free, fair and transparent elections come December, 2024, Maj. Gen. Addo Gyane called on all stakeholders like the civil society organizations, private and corporate entities, churches, traditional authorities, women and youth groups as well opinion leaders and the media to all play their part in safeguarding the implementation of measures to protect the country’s peace.
He stressed that there is the need to strengthen the governance related institutions such as the Electoral Commission, the civil service, the judiciary, the media and the security agencies as well as other local institutions to play critical roles in the development and maintenance of Ghana’s democratic principles.
Maj. Gen. Addo Gyane underscored the critical role elections play in entrenching democracy citing a quote by H.E Mr. Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary General that, “Elections are at the heart of democracy and when conducted with integrity, they allow citizens to have a voice in how and by who they are governed”. This, he believes, is this reason that elections have become an integral part of Ghana’s democracy.
However, the processes, he observes, are sometimes fraught with avoidable mishaps although he concedes the changing dynamics of African politics which is characterized by the manipulation of elections figures, vigilantism, silencing opinion leaders and religious elites, gross misconducts pose existential threat sustaining gains made in the democratic process.
“Ghana has become a beacon of peace and this accolade is internationally recognized. The country is regarded as a thriving democracy after successfully organizing several elections since the inception of the fourth republic” Maj. Gen. Addo Gyane intimated saying this therefore throws a challenge for Ghanaians to prove to all observers that the country’s democratic credentials are no mere flukes.
He says the KAIPTC has engaged various stakeholders for capacity building, training and policy dialogues towards ensuring that the security agencies, media, state agencies and civil society organizations all play their all to ensure a free, fair and transparent elections come 7th of December, 2024.
“The integrity of the outcome of the elections 2024 can be guaranteed only in an atmosphere where there is collaboration and free flow of information between the media and security agencies as well as all related stakeholders” Maj. Gen. Addo Gyane summed.
Sefah-Danquah.