Ghana optimistic of peaceful resolution of Gambian crisis

Ghana is optimistic that the political crisis in Gambia would be resolved peacefully, Emmanuel Bombande, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday.

A number of African leaders including Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama who lost his re-election bid last week are in Gambia as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) initiates efforts to make Gambian President Yahya Jammeh step down after losing the December 1 elections.

"Our president has been very active with his colleagues in these efforts and pretty much hoping and looking for a good outcome that will put West Africa firmly on the map of a region that is not only good at using diplomacy in preventing violence but more importantly respecting our democratic institutions and how they are impacting across the entire sub-region," Bombande said.

President Jammeh has refused to step down after he was defeated in the presidential polls at his fourth attempt by Adama Barrow. He initially conceded defeat but made a u-turn at his decision several days later claiming there were massive irregularities in the polls and called for fresh elections.

Barrow won 263,515 votes representing 45.5 percent in the December 1 election, while President Jammeh polled 212,099 representing 36.7 percent according to the Gambian Electoral Commission. Endit