unemployment, corruption, political polarization, and diseases ravaging beloved Ghana.
In a statement in Accra on Monday, they urged the political class to “seek ways of building consensus and co-responsibility” in solving our nagging problems.
Signed by Archbishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu, president, Catholic Bishops Conference of Ghana (CBCG), the statement advocated a “critical and dispassionate review” of the electoral process, to install reforms to curtail the problems and difficulties associated with elections in the country.
Sequel to the Supreme Court judgment in the electoral petition, the Catholic Bishops called on political activists and social commentators to refrain from comments that could inflame passions and derail the gains made so far.
“We expect all Ghanaians, irrespective of their political leanings, religious affiliations and ethnic backgrounds, to put the past behind us and forge ahead in unity and peace. We reiterate our call to all Ghanaians that, in whatever we do, we must ‘Think Ghana First’,” the Catholic Bishops appealed.
They advised Ghanaians to build on the political maturity and commitment to democratic ideals they exhibited after last Thursday’s Supreme Court verdict, and commended Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his good judgment.
“We are happy that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has accepted the judgment and congratulated President John Dramani Mahama on his victory and election as the Fourth President of the Fourth Republic. We are encouraged and heartened by his decision not to seek a review, and his appeal to all supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to accept the judgment,” they applauded.
The Chronicle, in the main, agrees with the sentiments expressed by our Catholic Bishops. Naturally, opposition politicians would be wary of assuming co-responsibility for the failings of the party in government, as much as the government would be unwilling to share its glories with the opposition, all because of future political contests.
But, it is highly unlikely that we would see a repeat of the deliberate obstructionism that took place at the presidential inauguration or in Parliament, following the filing of the petition.
However, consensus building would be impossible in an atmosphere of incendiary attacks on the Supreme Court judges by lawyers across the political divide, especially, those who were part of the prosecution and defence of the petition.
It is in this vein that The Chronicle whole-heartedly supports the call of the Most Rev Emmanuel Asante (Peace Council Chairman) on all politicians to “cease fire” and use the “rule of law” to solve their grievances with the Supreme Court judgment, and “not invectives.”
We also support his condemnation of Messrs Tsatsu Tsikata and Gabby Otchere-Darko’s attacks on a judge on the petition panel, and on the entire petition judgment respectively, as utterances not expected from lawyers who are supposed to know better, and to jealously guard the independence and sanctity of the judiciary.
We do hope the attacks would not recur!
