ER INAUGURATES REGIONAL ENFORCEMENT BODY (PAGE 17)

A NINE-MEMBER committee that would ensure compliance with the 2008 Political Parties Code of Conduct for the December 7 election in the Eastern Region has been inaugurated.
It would, among others, monitor breaches of the code in the various constituencies in the region to be reported to the national enforcement body for redress.
The committee, with the Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Emmanuel Quaye-Sowah, as chairman, has its membership drawn from the political parties contesting for the elections as well as the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Ampah Bennin, and the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Paul Boateng.
A senior member of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Brigadier-General Francis Agyemfra, who inaugurated the committee, remarked that it was unfortunate that there had been some disturbances associated with the elections in some parts of the country, especially in the Western Region, which he advised, must be avoided before, during and after the elections.
This, according to the Brigadier-General, could be accomplished if leaders of the contesting political parties in the region could abide by the code, preach peace and prevail on their members and supporters not to do anything that would result in chaos or violence.
“Previous general election in the region had always been peaceful, and it is your responsibility to do your best to preserve the prevailing peace before, during and after the elections”, Brigadier-General Agyemfra urged.
He also stated that the 2008 Code was to ensure a level playing field for all the contesting political parties. He therefore asked political parties and all stakeholders to assist the committee in its deliberations to ensure violence-free elections.
Mr Quaye-Sowah, on behalf of his colleagues, gave the assurance that they would do their best to ensure that the elections came off peacefully.
A representative of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Agobo, said as the ruling party that would want to retain power, it would not do anything to disturb the relative peace enjoyed by the people of Ghana, which would impact negatively on the very people it would be governing.
For his part, Mr Anthony Gyampo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) representative, indicated that since they would definitely win the elections and rule the country, the party would not resort to violence, adding: “No political organisation well positioned to win elections would resort to violence.
Mr Paul Boateng, a representative of the EC, gave the assurance that his outfit would continue to do its best to ensure violent-free elections in the region, while Madam Esther Korbo and Barimah Yaw Sarfo Kantanka who respectively represented Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE) Party and the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), pledged their outfits’ support for peaceful elections.