Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Council of State and the National Peace Council to actively fulfil their responsibilities by advising President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the lead-up to the December elections.
Speaking at the NDC’s 2024 campaign launch at the Jubilee Park in Tamale on Saturday, July 27, he stressed the crucial role these bodies play in safeguarding Ghana’s democracy during what he described as a crisis period.
“You have been established as the institution responsible for advising the President of the Republic of Ghana.”
“You were not put in place to bootlick the president. You were put in place to advise the President because we know there will be a time when we have a president who is recalcitrant and does not listen to the masses. That is why we established the Council of State,” Asiedu Nketiah declared
He urged the Council to ‘stand out and be counted’ and fulfil their duties, warning that failing to act now could lead to regrettable consequences in the months ahead.
Addressing the National Peace Council, the NDC Chairman emphasized its duty to ensure fairness and truth in the electoral process.
“We did not establish a Peace Council to appeal to the emotions of people who have been robbed.”
“We established you to seek the truth and tell whoever is not conducting themselves well. If you’re interested in peace, and you want to act according to your name, please be proactive. Stand up, speak, and be judged by posterity,” he said.
Asiedu Nketiah also had a message for the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), reminding them of their duty to protect the interests of Ghanaians rather than any regime.
He said, “The day you were commissioned into the leadership of the security services, you swore to protect the interests of Ghanaians. You will be left with yourself and your God on the day of accountability if you fail to protect all Ghanaians.”
He praised the security services for their past role in ensuring peaceful transitions and urged them to continue upholding democracy.
The NDC Chairman also had a message for traditional chiefs cautioning them to remain neutral and avoid involvement in partisan politics, stressing the constitutional safeguards put in place to prevent such entanglements.
According to him, the traditional institution was insulated from partisan politics in order to stop politicians from meddling with the institution.
He said, “We know why we insulated your institution from multiparty politics.If you allow politicians to meddle with our traditional councils, you end up with a situation where the institution will be destroyed.”
He also had a message for religious leaders. He warned against the dangers of intertwining religion with politics, emphasizing the need for a leader who embodies truth and vision.
Religion, he said, can become a very dangerous force that can destroy a nation if it is mixed with politics.
“What we are going to look for is a leader who is truthful, trustworthy, and has the vision to lead this great country out of the quagmire we are facing,” he explained.
Asiedu Nketiah affirmed former President John Dramani Mahama as the NDC’s candidate, stressing his qualities of truthfulness, honour, and responsiveness to the masses.
President John Mahama, he said, satisfies all the criteria for leadership, whether found in the religious setting or political cycle and urged Ghanaians to vote massively for in December to return him to the presidency.