Political Party Executives Sensitized On Peaceful Polls

The Asante-Akim South District branch of the Coalition of Women in Governance (COWIG) has held a day�s seminar for political party executives in the area as part of efforts to help to make this year�s general election a peaceful one. It brought together the leadership of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Progressive People�s Party (PPP) at the constituency and polling station levels. The seminar which sought to increase women�s participation in governance, was under the theme, �We know Politics II Project�, and was funded jointly by the European Union (EU) and Department for International Development (DFID). Mr William Ansah Kwakye, the District Chairman of Coalition, called for political tolerance and accommodation, saying, that was the path to grow the country�s multi-party democracy. Politicians should accept to play by the rules of the game, avoid intemperate language and actions likely to create tension and confusion. He said it was important for the leadership of the parties to have the courage to rein in their followers who engaged in acts of misconduct. Mr Kwakye said Ghana�s democracy had won international admiration and it was therefore incumbent on all stakeholders to act responsibly, to build on the achievements made over the last two decades. Miss Khadija Musah, a member of COWIG, called on the parties to do more to encourage women to volunteer to take up elective positions.