The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), has advocated peace before, during and after this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The Chamber contends that a distortion to the peace and stability will pose serious risks to businesses.
“We should not take the peace and stability in the country for granted. The business community cannot thrive without peace and stability,” a statement from the GNCCI said.
It added, “The modest economic and social progress we have achieved in the last few years owes much to the political stability we have enjoyed in the 4th Republic.”
Local and foreign businesses have expressed varied opinions and expectations ahead of this year’s elections.
While some businesses have predicted a drop in investments, others are confident of a stable environment climate after the election.
The GNCCI, commended the various stakeholders for their respective contributions to successive elections and further urged them to contribute to sustaining the peace enjoyed by the country.
“The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of the private sector, commends the National Peace Council for securing a firm commitment from the various presidential candidates with the signing of peace accord.”
“The Chamber also commends the Electoral Commission, the Judiciary, Parliament, Government, Security Services, Media Houses, International Partners, and other stakeholders for their commitment towards a free, fair and credible election to ensure an enabling business environment.”
Meanwhile, the Chamber has appealed to the Electoral Commission to expedite processes in addressing grievances among the various political parties.
“The Chamber calls on the Electoral Commission to work harder to deliver free, fair and credible elections. The Commission must continue to work with all stakeholders including political parties and show willingness to address their concerns in a timely fashion. We believe that the Commission has the capacity and the track record to deliver first class elections to Ghanaians come Wednesday December 7.”
“The Security Services have a crucial role to play. We urge them to be professional by treating all the actors in the political arena with fairness and respect. Government must provide the Security Services with the necessary logistics while affording them the freedom to discharge their duties. It is our fervent hope that the security forces will live up to expectations by securing the sanctity of the Ghanaian politics,” the statement added.
The President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I, further urged electorates to conduct themselves in a manner that will not undermine the peace and stability of the country.
He added, “We also urge the political parties to continue to refrain from acts and utterances that have the potential to create chaos and erode the political, economic, and social gains made in the country. We also call on media practitioners to uphold ethical standards and be circumspect in their reportage in order not to create unnecessary tension before, during and after the elections.”
In addition, the Chamber has assured of its continuous engagement with its members and stakeholders towards ensuring a peaceful election critical for economic growth and development.”
“We agree with our first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah that “the forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart”. We are one people and let us vote in peace to make Ghana the winner,” the Chamber’s statement concluded.
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