Emmanuel Bombande Warns Ghana’s Peace and Cohesion Remain Vulnerable

Conflict resolution and mediation specialist Emmanuel Bombande says Ghana’s peaceful coexistence continues to face threats despite the country’s record of stability since independence.

The warning comes as the nation marks 69 years of independence and reflects on its ability to manage disagreements and maintain social cohesion without descending into civil war.

Speaking on JoyNews Pulse on March 6 during a discussion on whether Ghana has made progress in managing disagreements and co-existing peacefully as a country, Mr Bombande said the country must acknowledge both its achievements and the growing pressures on national unity.

“So, on the overall, we can see that 69 years of independence, we will have to celebrate the fact that we have maintained our stability, our peace, particularly our peaceful coexistence as a people,” he said.

“We have not gone to a civil war as others have done, but I want to be the first to acknowledge that this peace, this peaceful coexistence, this social cohesion I’m talking about continues to be threatened every day.”

According to him, one of the issues threatening cohesion is the increasing polarization in the country’s political environment. While Ghana’s multi-party democracy guarantees the right of citizens to belong to different political parties, he said political competition sometimes deepens divisions instead of uniting the country.

“Our multi-party democracy, yes, whether we like it or not, it is our political and civic right to belong to different parties. But it does not mean that politics as it is happening today rather than unifying the people sometimes actually polarizes and divides,” he stated.

Mr Bombande also expressed concern about the impact of political rhetoric, noting that comments made by politicians in public spaces often carry significant influence and can intensify divisions when amplified on social media.

“Sometimes I’m amazed that even our politicians do not realize that what they articulate publicly, whether it’s in the chambers of parliament or outside, carries with it a certain poisonous weight that is then generated on social media to increase the polarization I’m talking about,” he said.

He also backed an earlier point made by Hassan Ayariga, agreeing that Ghana’s political system can sometimes appear exclusive when one party wins power across multiple levels of government.

Mr Bombande added that respect for the rule of law remains critical to maintaining social cohesion, warning that when individuals deliberately ignore established legal mechanisms for resolving disputes, it weakens law enforcement.

“And when law enforcement becomes weak, social cohesion can be under threat,” he cautioned.

He further stressed that peace must be protected at both the national and individual levels, adding that the responsibility does not rest only with the state but also with citizens in their daily interactions.

Mr Bombande concluded by acknowledging the contributions of senior statesmen such as Kwame Pianim in helping to build and sustain Ghana’s democratic stability, while emphasising that there is still much work to be done to protect the country’s peace.