Bishop Prof. Albert Luguterah, a member of the Northern Regional Peace Council, has warned that politics and politicians pose the greatest threat to national peace and stability. Addressing the 2024 Northern Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards launch, he highlighted key factors fueling conflicts in the region, including:
- Eroding trust in the criminal justice system
- Spillover effects of violent extremism from neighboring countries, exposing the region to security risks
He emphasized the need for collective efforts to address these challenges and promote peace in northern Ghana.
Bishop Prof. Albert Luguterah stressed that, politics and politicians are the primary instigators of conflict, and with the December general election looming, he urged the media to play a crucial role in maintaining peace.
He cautioned that, politicians will stop at nothing to cling to power, and therefore, the media must take responsibility to promote peaceful elections and preserve the country’s current stability, especially in the final months leading up to the polls.
With only a few months until the election, tensions are escalating, and we must intensify our efforts to ensure a peaceful process.
Unfortunately, politics has become a high-stakes game where winning is a matter of life and death, and some individuals will stop at nothing to achieve power.
It’s crucial that we collectively work towards maintaining peace and stability.
The media, in particular, plays a vital role in shaping public discourse and influencing the political landscape, making their responsibility in promoting a violence-free election paramount he stated.