Be specific in condemning political violence attacks

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has asked religious bodies, the press and all peace loving Ghanaians not to hesitate to name and shame specific political parties that initiate violent acts.
“We must call things by their proper names. The tendency to blame both parties when clearly one of us is at fault encourages extremists on both sides.
“For example, reports of those incidents in Accra and resulting commentary that do not forthright condemn the NDC members who clearly had no schedule event and had no business being there, do not promote peace”, the party said.
Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, Chairman of the NPP Campaign Team was addressing the press about the last Wednesday attack on the campaign team of Nana Adoo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP flag bearer at Agbogbloshie in Accra today.
He said when Ghanaians fail to name and shame specific perpetrators of violent acts but decide to blame both the victims and culprits, it excludes accountability for what was happening.
He also called on security agencies to act more forcefully to prevent the outbreak of violent political events and those who were caught and found guilty must face the full rigours of the law, because “when those who plan and execute acts of violence are not dealt with, others lose confidence in the system and tend to take the law into their own hands.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, also suggested that as the elections drew near, there should be more combined military-police patrols, especially around areas considered as flash points and also provide adequate security for political parties during campaigns.
He appealed to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership to re-examine their motives and change their ways so that their actions would not be more supportive of peace and stability before, during and after the December 7 polls.
On the last Wednesday attacks on the NPP team, did not know what the NDC members who allegedly undertook the attacks were doing at a place where they have no schedule event adding that “it is clear that the NDC supporters went there with the sole purpose of disrupting the NPP event.
He said last the Tuesday Nana Akufo-Addo showed exemplary leadership which was worth emulating, this was when after filing his nomination, he personally ensured that all the NPP supporters left the Electoral Commission (EC) vicinity before the NDC supporters arrived with the presidential candidate, Prof JEA Mills.
“This was done and there was no violence. That is the hallmark of leadership. We expect that all leaders will act in a similar manner to minimise the chances of violence when more than one party needs to be in a place at the same time”, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey.
He said the NDC had continuously invoking the recent instabilities in Kenya and Zimbabwe, stating that Ghana would have similar experience and like false prophets, working hard to make their dire prediction a reality.
He said they had begun this by condemning everything the EC was doing, to the extent of rejecting the transparent boxes during the balloting for a place on the ballot for the December polls.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the NDC had also planted misleading articles to create the impression that violence was inevitable.
He sited the example of an analysis by Sebastian Spio- Garbrah, the son of NDC aspirants, Dr Ekwow Spio Garbrah asserting that when the result were declared and it was favouring the NPP, there would be violence starting from some part of Accra.