
A private commercial radio station in the Upper West region, W93.5FM has on Saturday, June 27, 2020, launched a project dubbed “W93.5FM Election Project – 2020” to campaign for peace in this year’s general elections.
The project themed “Ensuring Peaceful Elections for Sustainable Development” aims at educating and reminding the general public, especially political parties’ communicators and media practitioners, on the need to avoid activities that can compromise the peace the country has been enjoying.
Welcoming participants to the launch, General Manager of W93.5FM, Ibrahim Abdul-Aziz Pelpuo said the project “will instil in residents of the Wa Municipality and beyond, a sense of responsibility in maintaining peace before, during and after the elections”. The campaign according to Mr. Pelpuo will also serve as a platform to create awareness about the electoral activities as well as inform electorates of their rights and responsibilities in the electoral process.
“The project will also commit political leaders and other stakeholders in the municipality and the region at large to sign a peace treaty that will require them to ensure violence-free elections and also take responsibility for any election related violence emanating from their respective parties or camps”, he added.

Acknowledging that Ghana has enjoyed considerable peace since constitutional governance, the Manager admonished that everything possible should be done to safeguard the peace being enjoyed. He said it was particularly important “as pockets of [electoral] unrests and chaos have been recorded in various parts of the nation” in recent past.
Mr. Pelpuo also appealed to benevolent organisations and individuals to support his station financially and in kind to make the project a success. He said in as much as W93.5FM has enough airtime to run the project, the station does not have adequate resources to undertake the other public events such as lectures, peace games, peace walk and musical concert.
On his part, the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, in a statement read on his behalf as the Guest of Honour lauded management of W93.5FM for initiating the campaign, adding the programme will “complement the efforts of the Regional Security Council in maintaining peace in the region by way of public education”.
Dr. Bin Salih further urged media practitioners to be meticulous in the discharge of their duties and not give attention to nation wreckers. He advised them against broadcasting “the pronouncements of any individual, group of people or any politician which has the potential to jeopardize the peace we are currently enjoying in the region”. He also urged political parties to be mindful of the campaign messages they put out for the electorate, saying that “no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy”.
The occasion was graced by the Waala Traditional Council including representatives of the Yari-naa and the Regional Chief Imam, the Local Council of Churches, the Peace Council, the NCCE, the Electoral Commission, representatives of political parties and youth groups and the Kpongu Jansi Group.