NDC Chairman, Asiedu Nketia Rejects Peace Declaration, Calls for Action Against Election Violence

The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says the party will not be signing any peace agreements before the upcoming election.

He expressed doubts about the impact of such agreements, referencing past elections.

“Signing a peace declaration doesn’t mean anything to the party, as previous pacts have not yielded any real results,” Nketia said on Joy News’ PM Express.

He argued that stopping violence requires action, not just symbolic gestures. “If you allow violence to brew, it will happen whether you sign a declaration or not,” he said.

Nketia criticized the focus on peace agreements after tensions have already risen, saying that it’s better to deal with the root causes of violence before it escalates. He pointed out that even with bodies like the Council of State and the Peace Council involved, the 2020 election still had violence.

“Signing or not signing is not the issue. What we need to address are the building blocks that lead to violence,” he said.

He also raised concerns about illegal recruitment in the security services, warning that it could lead to unrest.

In the 2020 election, the NDC protested the results, accusing state security forces of intimidating voters. The National Election Security Taskforce reported five deaths and 61 cases of violence during the election.