The Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC), the Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante has admonished Ghanaians to stop what he called over politicization of state institutions mandated to carry out specific duties.
Such practice he noted has the tendency of denting the image of state-own institutions and agencies. According to him, the NPC has been tagged as a partisan institution by politicians without any basis and that it is about time Ghanaians realized that it is not everyone who loses his or her conscience when it comes to serving the nation.
Responding to a question on allegations of whether NPC is a partisan or not at a special town hall meeting organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa in Tamale, the NPC chairman explained that the act establishing the council makes it difficult for it to be partisan, adding the council was in existence during the previous NPP regime under former president Kufour.
Professor Asante said the composition of the council clearly shows it is non-partisan. The NPC chairman explained that membership of the council was drawn from all religious groupings and professionals who are not even appointed by the government in power and wonders how people can conclude that the council is in bed with the government of the day.
Constitutional mandate
Professor Asante quoted Section 4 of Act 818 that says: “The governing body of the council is a board consisting of 13 eminent persons” and lists their composition as a representative each from the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal Council.
The rest are the National Council for Christian and Charismatic Churches, the Ahmadiya Muslim Mission, the Al-Sunnah Muslim Mission, the Tijaaniya Muslim Group, practitioners of African Traditional Religion and the National House of Chiefs.
Other members of the council, the Most Rev. Prof. Asante said, were two representatives nominated by the government, one of whom should be a woman, and two other persons nominated by identifiable groups.
He said although the 1992 Constitution gave the President the power to appoint the chairperson and members of boards, for the chairperson of the Governing Board of the NPC, Section 4 (2) of Act 818 that established the NPC stipulates that “the members of the board shall elect one of their number as chairperson”.
“I have been accused as a chairman sometime in the morning as an NDC person and in the evening accused as being an NPP because of the position the council takes on issues,” the NPC chair lamented.
“We remain focused; we will not be pushed away, let’s respect institutions and stop unfounded accusations,” he pleaded. “If something doesn’t please you, voice it out in a democratic manner,” Professor Asante advised.
Conditions of service at NPC
“People think as members of the council we enjoy certain perks such as huge financial renumeration, but as chairman, l am not paid . We’re like any other board members, we take sitting allowances,” professor Asante explain.
He also took the opportunity to clarify the misconception that he was given a V8 land cruiser by the state. “I was the presiding Bishop for the Methodist church of Ghana, the church bought the V8 for me and I handed it over after my turn expired, yet people still think the state provided it to me,” the NPC chair explained.
“They bought a Prado Land Cruiser for me and that’s what l am using now. Besides, my first son is a lawyer with over 15 years in practice and I also worked as a professor, can’t I buy a house or car? let get serious,” Professor Asante stated.
Contest of ideas not
This year’s elections, the NPC chairman said should be a contest for ideas and nothing else. The people in Tamale must do everything to protect its name and its international accolade as the fastest growing city in West Africa.
“I pray that the meeting will not be the usual talk shop but that the ideas be put into practice. Peace advocates are talking about it because Tamale is a great city in the making and let no one disturb the peace in the city,” he concluded.
