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The  Member of Parliament (MP) for the Navrongo Central Constituency, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, has urged political parties to educate their supporters about the negative effects of violence in order to maintain peaceful conditions in the country.
 
According to Mr Woyongo, this can be achieved if politicians take it upon themselves to educate the rank and file of their parties against violent acts which have the potential to mar the 2016 presidential and parliamentary  elections in December. 

The former interior and defence minister made this known last Tuesday when he interacted with officials of the Graphic Communications  Group Limited (GCGL) in Bolgatanga. 

The five-member GCGL delegation was led by the Director of Newspapers, Mr Yaw  Boadu-Ayeboafoh and the Political Editor, Mr Kobby Asmah. 

The GCGL team was in the  Upper East Region to hold a Town Hall Meeting for residents  at the Ghana In-Service Training  Centre at Bolgatanga last Wednesday. 

Importance of Peace

On the important role of peace in national development, Mr Woyongo stated that it was vital that no human lives were lost just because of political power. 

“Ghana is the only country we have and we don't want to lose human lives just because of political power. Look at the hundreds of lives that we have lost in other countries," Mr Woyongo stated. 

“I believe in the saying that ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Two days ago they showed on CNN a picture of a boy who was sitting there innocently while blood was being wiped from his forehead, and I don't want this for Ghana” 

“I think that for the elections we need peace because when there is violence nobody will be safe, whether you are NPP or NDC, everybody will be shooting so we should just avoid it.”

“The parties have a role to play by educating the rank and file”, he added.

Commendation for Graphic Town Hall Meeting

After a briefing from Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh on the purpose of the Graphic delegation's visit to the region, the Navrongo Central MP lauded the initiative and described it as a "good venture.” 

“It is a good programme and a good venture. The way everybody is preaching peace, if we don’t have a peaceful election, I will be very sad.  

"When I was at the Interior Ministry I used  to ask people where will we run to because we are surrounded by francophone countries  everywhere. Ghanaians  are a peaceful people and we fear bloodshed.”

“I saw it in Bawku in 2010 and it was terrible. When it gets to that stage no one values human life.  Even though we imposed curfew during the disturbances, it was still very difficult for everyone," Mr Woyongo said.