{"id":273600,"date":"2016-12-02T12:04:03","date_gmt":"2016-12-02T12:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=273600"},"modified":"2016-12-02T12:04:03","modified_gmt":"2016-12-02T12:04:03","slug":"election-2016-northern-development-forum-advocates-peaceful-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/12\/election-2016-northern-development-forum-advocates-peaceful-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Election 2016: Northern Development Forum advocates peaceful elections"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Northern Development Forum (NDF), has called for peaceful elections on December 7.<\/p>\n
Alarmed by the myriad of chieftaincy, land, political and other related conflicts that have plagued Northern Ghana over the years, Chairman of the Northern Development Fund, Dr. Hakeem Wemah warned of dire consequences of electoral violence in the area after the December 7 polls.<\/p>\n
The former Board Chairman of the University for Development Studies (UDS), made the call at a news conference in Tamale, where he officially launched the 2015 Northern Ghana Development Status Report codenamed, \u201cSustaining the Northern Ghana development agenda in Ghana\u2019s public domain.\u201d<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”n3MG5tBbgsnE3bXrdpIrOtckSAGYG7kV”]Dr. Hakeem Weimah pinpointed partisan politics as the root cause of conflicts in Northern Ghana though ethnicity, religion, language, land and chieftaincy cannot be overruled.<\/p>\n
He said much was desired of government and development partners to address the nagging issues of poverty, unemployment, human right abuses, weak governance and inequality which make locals feel neglected at the decision making processes.<\/p>\n
The Northern Development Forum Chairman reechoed the need for the youth of the three regions of the north to shun self seeking politicians who might clandestinely bribe them to foment trouble on elections day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe question of peace and stability can never be over-emphasized: it is the sine qua none of the major goals of the NDF and so we would like to call on the youth of the three regions of the north in particular to refuse to be goaded and bribed by unscrupulous, greedy and selfish politicians to cause mayhem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is most insulting and disrespectful and too callous for them to expect you to lay down your lives for their parochial interest. Yes, indeed you are brave and strong but for once let politicians and war mongers also be brave and strong and go out and fight their own fight,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
Dr. Hakeem Weimah cautioned the media against announcing or calling election results ahead of the constitutionally mandated Electoral Commission\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\n
He also challenged traditional rulers, religious and political leaders to guard against problems that could culminate into electoral disputes in their communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo traditional, political, religious leaders and others who hold sway over large populations of this country, consider it is your failure and shame if any problem emanates from your constituency. You must therefore condemn violence and that you will not produce or defend anyone who falls foul of the law.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me be very candid with you that the general impression in the country about us is that we are a thoughtless, violent people. Aye the cradle of political, ethnic and occasioned religious upheavals. Any trouble in the country post-elections is predicted by all the pundits to likely come from the north,\u201d he bemoaned.<\/p>\n
The 2016 Development and Policy status report<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Dr. Hakeem Weimah, the report was put together by the Northern Development Forum to satisfy concerned citizens growing demand that empirical evidence be provided them regarding the efforts being made to address Northern Ghana\u2019s development agenda.<\/p>\n