The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) is advising young people to decline any invitations from political figures to engage in violent protests or other disruptive activities during the 2024 elections.
The commission’s chairperson, Kathleen Addy, emphasized the vital role that citizens play in averting bloodshed on December 7.
Speaking to the media, Ms. Addy emphasized to young people the NCCE’s strong message that they should not participate in violent acts that politicians plan on carrying out. The press conference functioned as a forum to emphasize the importance of civic duty in maintaining peace during election processes as part of the Constitution Day celebrations.
“In this very room, in our address to the press, we raise the alarm on the creeping monetisation of politics. It is sad to note that one year has passed. We are seeing a deepening of the problem. We are witnesses to the supply of money to voters and the demand for money from voters in the various elections that happened last year.”
Ms. Addy also urged voters to refrain from purchasing votes and exchanging them for cash, for which she held politicians accountable for inflaming and persistently buying the conscience of the typical Ghanaian voter during elections.
“The politics of insults, violence, and personality attacks undermine state institutions, especially those mandated to oversee elections, civic education, and the promotion of peace in this country. We especially employ young people to absolutely reject any politician who wants to engage them in violence and expose any politician who seeks to entice them with alcohol, drugs, or anything else so that they will do their bidding. The commission, during its engagement with citizens this year, would hammer home the message that any politician seeking to recruit for violence or other illegal activity is a national wrecker and must be rejected without equivocation. This year, let us not lose a life, a limb, or even shed one drop of blood for the sake of politics.”
“Campaigns devoid of provoking religious, cultural, and ethnic tension. This is what we deserve, and this is what we demand as Ghanaians. In 2024, we urge citizens not to condone acts of political intolerance or political vindictiveness,” the NCCE Chairperson noted.
