MESSAGE TO THE NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL

 IDDI MUHAYU-DEEN’S FOLDER

I write this piece, with much hesitation because of the unconditional respect I have for the eminent members of the National Peace Council. However, my principles demand that I clear my conscience by speaking my mind in the manner I find, desirable, regardless of who is involved. This, is in consonance with my conviction of exposing the ills in society in order to occupy hearts and minds for the love of God and country.

I am sure you have followed the “tag of war” between the outgoing moderator of the Presby Church, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey and our politicians, especially our NDC friends, following the former’s allegation of bribery against the latter in their desperate attempt to compromise him. The rest of the story is now history … and I wish to spare you with the details. 

I am nonetheless concerned about the latest development regarding this unfolding drama, which has somehow, put the National Peace Council on the spotlight. I am still unable to come to terms with the reason why the National Peace Council (NPC) decided, on its own, to join this mucky minefield and thus, subject their revered outfit to public infamy. Why would a whole National Peace Council organize a press conference in order to respond to Reverend Martey’s allegation against the Deputy Minister of Interior? Did Martey attack the NPC? The last time I checked, Hon Agalga does not work with the NPC. He is also in a position to speak for himself and does not need the service of the NPC to clear his name, when same is affronted. 

In any case, Reverend Martey did NOT allege that government wanted to make him the Chairperson of the National Peace Council because we all know that government has no such mandate. However, government, just like any other interest group, is interested in who becomes the Chairperson of the National Peace Council because it is a strategic “political organization” contrary to the claims of Reverend Asante, the current Chair of the NPC, who addressed the press confab. It is however NOT a partisan organization. 

Even the fact that elections are held to select the Chairperson of the Peace Council makes the Council, a political organization. So, if government has an interest in this, why would it be farfetched for a revered personality and a member of the National Peace Council to allege that government officials offered to lobby for him to win the chairmanship position? Why would the national peace council create their own distortion in respect of Reverend Martey’s allegation and then proceed to respond to this distortion? Honestly, I can’t hide my disappointment in their so called press conference. We certainly deserve better.

 

Perhaps I need to remind our eminent citizens that the National Peace Council is supposed to be an independent national peace institution established by the Parliament of Ghana under Act 818, with the primary mandate of facilitating and developing mechanism to prevent, manage and resolve conflict and to build sustainable peace in Ghana. Per their mandate, the NPC ought to be engaged in the serious business of peace building and sustenance rather than delving in the usual pettiness which has characterized our body politic. 

Would the National Peace Council be organizing press conferences in order to respond to Reverend Martey or any other revered person, who mentions their name under similar circumstances? And what would become of them? I thought as a Peace Council, the ideal thing they ought to do, was to have engaged Reverend Martey, who happens to be one of their own, on the QUIET rather than resorting to this media razzmatazz. Are they going to resolve their issues in the media? For God’s sake, we are talking about the National PEACE Council and not National WAR Council. I would accept this media or populist masturbation if it came from a political party but surely, NOT our National Peace Council properly called. “Nyansa fo), mo w) hen?"

#Mutashi

Assalamu alaikum 

This piece was compiled by a concerned Ghanaian in the business of OCCUPYING HEARTS and MINDS for the love of God and country.

IDDI MUHAYU-DEEN

Youth Activist/Social Commentator

Former NUGS Secretary

(0245335197)

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