Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that there is a need to adopt a proactive attitude towards peace.
He expresses the view that if authorities had been proactive in addressing the tensions in the country, perhaps the country would not have faced tragedies such as those in Bawku, where lives are being lost and families are being shattered.
Ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said that true peace cannot exist without justice.
To that end, he urged all stakeholders to relentlessly pursue a just society where every Ghanaian feels secure and valued.
Mr Mahama said this in a Facebook post after he suspended his campaign on Sunday, November 3 to join the Ghana Pentecostal & Charismatic Council, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Office of the National Chief Imam, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, and the National Association of Charismatic Christian Churches at the launch of a National Peace Campaign.
He said that peace is not merely the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice, fairness, and mutual respect.
“We must not forget that true peace cannot exist without justice. We must all relentlessly pursue a just society where every Ghanaian feels secure and valued. I have always believed that we need a proactive attitude towards peace. Had we been proactive in addressing the tensions in our midst, perhaps we would not have faced tragedies such as those in Bawku, where lives are being lost and families are being shattered,” he said.
He added “On behalf of the National Democratic Congress, I solemnly commit to upholding the values of dialogue, respect, and justice for all. We pledge to be the voice of the voiceless and to stand alongside every Ghanaian committed to peace—a peace grounded in justice.”