No politician is worth dying or killing for – Youth Group

The National President of Youth in Sustainable Development Foundation (YISDEF), Wisdom Eddie Koranteng has noted it is the responsibility of the Ghanaian youth to protect the peace the country enjoys.

In an interview with primenewsghana.com, Mr. Koranteng stated “it is in the best interest to tell politicians that we as youth are not an instrument for violence but rather (empower us) for us to protect the peace we enjoy before, during and after the general elections.”

In a press statement, dated on Monday, August 9, 2016, the group is “calling on the teeming youths and vigilante groups associated with these political parties to be mindful that, no political leader is worth sharing one's blood for or a fellow human being's life.”

Below is the press statement:

 

29/08/2016

TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES! !!

A PRESS STATEMENT/CONFERENCE OF YOUTH IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (YISDEF):-

THEME:-

"THERE EXIST NO ALTERNATIVE TO PEACE, LETS ALL WAGE A WAR OF PEACE IN THE DECEMBER 7,2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS"

Ladies and gentlemen of the media fraternity, thank you for honouring this important call to duty and  to the maiden press conference of Youth in Sustainable Development Foundation (YISDEF).

Country men and women,Youth in Sustainable Development Foundation (YISDEF),is a platform of youth activists of the various political parties who among others believes that ,Ghana our motherland can achieve the desire development which will benefit the present generation and the future  generation, only when we collectively and jealously protect our peace, tolerate divergent and dissenting views, upholds rule of law, and ensure that there exist a transparent,free and fair electoral process of choosing and changing public leaders through the power of the thumb.

As a country, Ghana since 1992 when we  adopted multi-party democracy had made modest gains in the process of selecting/choosing leaders to occupy vacant public offices without civil war.This has made Ghana to become the beacon of democracy within the community of Nations and a STAR in democratic governance in Africa.  A feat that even many advanced countries used several centuries to reached that apex.

Ladies and gentlemen,as a people we all agree that this feet of success chocked is equally or likely to  threatened by any form of  electoral violence .This is based on the previous experiences of past elections. This has a greater potency to derail all the gains made in our democratic drive. In the past elections ,the country witnessed several incidents of ballot box snatching, destruction of election materials, forcible refusing to allow registered voters to vote and beating of electoral officers to say the least by vigilante groups,and other groups associated with the political parties. Sadly YISDEF notice that these acts of election violence are carried out by youth activists who are not likely to even get political appointments in the events that their parties assume political offices after benefitting from such election violence acts of those youths.

Country men and women, YISDEF,upon deep reflection ,observation and consultation with youth groups across the length and breadth of the country,sees the December, 7th ,2016 election as a crucial elections for the major parties. Currently the saturated atmosphere of  accusations and counter accusations is an indication, that we need to wake up from our sleeps. As constituents, citizens of this nation as well as family members YISDEF wishes you use this medium to call on you to begin educating the youths -who are mostly activists of political parties not to allow themselves to be used by any party/leader to cause violence in the up coming elections.

YISDEF is calling on the teeming youths and vigilante groups associated with these political parties to be mindful that ,no political leader is worth shearing ones blood for or a fellow human beings life. Again,any political party/ leader who calls for violence in any form against our fellow neighbours or opponents in another party doesn't deserve our mandate. We the youth must stand up against such impunity. As youths ,we must be discerning that Ghana is the only country we have. Therefore if we destroys it because of the power a candidate or a  party is  seeking for ,will only make us fools since most of these political leaders wouldn't stay in the country when the country turns into flames.

YISDEF ,wants to reiterate that as youths we must learn lesson from election violent countries and how miserable life have become of the youths and the vulnerable women and children there.

YISDEF wishes to appeal to political parties leaders to educate their teeming support base that elections are like football matches, some will win whilst others loose. Within a period of four/eight years,we will always have to opportunity to  win. Parties/leaders must also accept to be good winners and losers.

Lastly but not the least ,YISDEF wishes to also appeal to families, churches, mosques and other religious groups as well as other civil societies to start educating the youths do desist from electoral violence and its related issues, so that the 2016,7th December ,general elections will be violence free.

In conclusion, YISDEF also calls on the Electoral commission to be consultative,firm, fair ,educative and transparent in its activities so that all manner of people will appreciate the massive work done.

YISDEF believes that there exist no alternative to peace if want to achieve sustainable development.

Let's rather wage war on  peaceful election and coexistence.

Let's live in harmony.

Let Peace rain in Ghana

Let Peace be a shield in the  elections.

Long live YISDEF

Long live Ghana

Thank you

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