Violence during registration exercise a signal of what is ahead – Prof. Aning alerts

Director of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Prof. Emmanuel Kwesi Aning has advised Ghanaians to learn from the pockets of violence that characterized the just ended voters registration exercise, else something unpleasant might end up happening in the upcoming 2020 general elections.

He was speaking to Captain Smart on Angel 102.9FM’s Anopa Bofo show, Wednesday, on what Ghanaians ought to do to stamp out activities of vigilante groups in the forthcoming elections.

He was of the view that it is in the hands of the citizenry to create conflict by fighting and murdering each other or choose to shy away from politicians who influence them to create violence.

“Let’s pray, we have been forewarned by what happened during the registration, if we are not careful what would happen would not be pleasant,” Prof. Kwesi Aning said in the Twi language, and admonished “all to speak up and let politicians and everybody know that right is right, wrong is wrong”.

The security expert wishes that the National Peace Council would use pictures from war zone areas in their peace campaign so people will stop glorifying violence in society.

He is therefore advocating that the electorate vote against politicians whose attitude “represents violence”.

“Our politicians are not even up to 200,000 but they own something we call power. You and I, and our families do not have such power. Our politicians who need power will campaign and deceive us so we vote for them. And it is only this time that we members have the power, and decide whom we entrust that power to” he said.

He noted, rather regrettably, that even though the citizens on a “freewill and voluntarily” grant power to elected leaders to ensure development, “but here lies the case, the electorate are no more important to the leaders elected afterwards”.

Prof. Aning also observed that politicians have taken the citizens for granted because they know there are people who will surely vote for them no matter what.