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The Central Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Akuribah Yaagy, has urged political parties to make use of their internal party conflict resolution mechanisms in addressing political disputes instead of rushing to the police for redress.

He said the Police were mandated to enforce law and order as well as protect lives and property but not to act as political inter-party and intra- party conflict resolution agents.

DCOP Mr Yaagy who said this during a meeting with representatives of political parties and youth leaders in the Cape Coast Metropolis on Wednesday, tasked them to use party structures  to resolve conflicts or use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) both in court and out of court.

The meeting which was attended by constituency youth organizers and secretaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People's Party (CPP) and the People's National  Convention (PNC), was to among others draw a road map to the 2016 general elections devoid of violence, acrimony and the use of foul language.

The Regional Commander asked the various youth groups of political parties to inculcate  the spirit of patriotism and to put Ghana first in all their endeavours. They should also understand the basic principles of democracy which entails tolerance and the accommodation of other people's views and opinions.

He said it was important for them to intensify public education on violence-free elections and also to build consensus on critical issues such as inclusiveness and unity in diversity.

DCOP Mr Yaagy urged them to eschew intra-party and inter-party violence and desist from making inflammatory statements, as well as maintain a proper sense of decorum.

He urged them to report early warning signals or any imminent incidence of violence to the police for the appropriate response. 

He underscored the role political party youth wings played in the development of nations and their parties,  stressing they were to, among other things, coordinate party activities and contribute financially to the growth  and strength of their respective parties.

The Regional Police Commander said they should also project and defend the ideals and image of their parties in a constructive manner to ensure victory.

They should also ensure peaceful co-existence, act responsibly and accountably, as well as assist in the creation of jobs through the development of agriculture and industry.

He condemned the practice by which political party youth groups seized public toilets, demand the removal or re-instatement of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and other party functionaries for not attending funerals or paying bills.

Engaging in demonstrations, causing damage and destroying party property, as well as constant demands for monies and handouts from ministers and party executive, and also seeing themselves as enemies instead of colleagues and patriotic citizens must be a thing of the past, he admonished.

All the political parties that were present at the meeting gave the assurance that they would ensure that peace was not compromised before, during and after the elections.

They also pledged to be law abiding and make use of all the internal conflict resolution mechanisms in their various parties for healthy political discourse.