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The Women’s Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the United States (U.S.) has criticised former President Mr John Dramani Mahama for his comments that the 2024 elections will be a "do or die" at polling stations.
Such comments, it said, were least expected from the former President and presidential candidate of a recent election that cost seven lives, with several others injured.

It noted that the comment made by the former President could be misunderstood and misinterpreted by stalwarts of political parties, which might lead to a worst situation in the 2024 general election.

Electoral violence

In a press statement signed by the Women’s Organiser of the NPP-USA, Mrs Barbara Boafo, the group said election-related violence did not only have negative consequences for women and children but also negatively impacted communities and the country at large.

It, therefore, expressed worry about the comment and described it as unfortunate since violence would not help anyone.

It said although Mr Mahama had explained that the comment was an idiomatic expression, it was not needful.

The statement noted that women and children constituted more than half of Ghana’s population and same were the vulnerable and for that matter if anything untoward should happen before, during and after elections, they would be the most affected.

“It is against this background that we, the Women’s Wing of the NPP in the USA, deem the comment of Mr Mahama as unfortunate and wish to urge him to apologise to Ghanaians, especially women and children,” it emphasised.

It added: "Political violence has no place in today’s world and in Ghana's politics and the world in general, since it does not only have negative consequences for women and children, but also their families with subsequent effects like psychological health problems".