THE United Nations (UN), the Commonwealth and the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) are urging presidential candidates in the upcoming elections to sign peace accord before voting.
Even though officials of the three organisations arrived in the country on November 22, 2016 for the signing ceremony it has been postponed to scheduled for Wednesday, December 1, 2016.
A joint statement by the three organisations copied to The Finder and signed by Christine Evans-Klock, UN Resident Coordinator to Ghana, said the peace accord sponsored by the National Peace Council, was initially scheduled for November 23, 2016.
According to the statement, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Marcel Alain de Souza, Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, arrived in Accra on November 22, 2016
The release noted that the objective of the ceremony was to get a firm commitment of the candidates to work for a peaceful and open electoral process.
According to the statement, the objective of the ceremony was to get a firm commitment of the candidates to work for a peaceful and open electoral process.
“They understand that the ceremony had to be postponed. They are, however, pleased to learn that the Presidential candidates had agreed to attend a session with the Electoral Commission on implementation of the reforms and the transparency of the electoral processes on December 1, 2016.
“The signing of the peace accord on that occasion will be an important public reaffirmation of the candidates’ commitment to peaceful elections on December 7.
“The ECOWAS, the Commonwealth and the United Nations call on all the presidential candidates to commit to participate in the December 1, 2016, event, and to take the responsibility to contribute towards nonviolent, transparent and credible elections,” it added.