NCCE urges political stakeholders to uphold peace
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has called on Ghanaians and political stakeholders to commit to peace and work towards a violence-free electoral process.
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The Accra Metro Director of the NCCE, Stanley Quaynor, said it was the shared responsibility of all Ghanaians to maintain peace and safeguard the country’s democracy so as to continue setting examples for the continent.
He said this at the inauguration of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) in the Okaikoi South Constituency in Accra yesterday.
The IPDC is a body established to foster dialogue among political stakeholders to maintain peace throughout the electoral process.
The nine-executive members of the IPDC is to act as a peace council, focusing on monitoring electoral activities, receiving complaints and addressing potential conflicts in the constituency.
On the theme: "Together we can build Ghana, so get involved," it is to combat election-related issues such as disinformation, misinformation, vote buying and political or religious intolerance.
The committee comprises representatives of the various political parties in the Okaikoi South Constituency, security agencies, religious leaders and the media.
It will undertake various activities, including regular monitoring, complaint receipt, organise forums and also convene emergency meetings to address emerging issues and engage the community through sporting events and street processions once a month.
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Commitment
Mr Quaynor congratulated the members of the IPDC and said, “it was crucial as the country prepares for the 2024 general election with expectations running high and tensions mounting between the two main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC)”.
He said the NCCE was established under Act 452 in 1993 to educate citizens on the importance of defending the 1992 Constitution against all forms of abuse and violation.
Mr Quaynor, however, expressed concern about the recurring threat of electoral violence, referencing the loss of eight lives during the 2020 general election, with two fatalities recorded in the Odododiodoo Constituency in the Greater Accra Metropolis.
“Although the Okaikoi South Constituency has not recorded such fatalities, nine communities have been identified as electoral violence-prone areas,” he added.
The Chairman of the IPDC, Nii Shamo Boi Gbalor I , in his acceptance speech, thanked the NCCE and other stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him to lead the peace- building awareness creation within the constituency.
“We always talk about peace, but peace cannot be made by one person but rather a shared responsibility that requires sacrifices from all parties involved,” he said.
He pledged the committee's commitment to deepen the awareness of tolerance among the electorate before, during and after the elections.
He emphasised the necessity to put the national interest above personal grievances, noting that peace was the prerequisite for development.
An Executive Member of the Constituency, Araba William, representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also pledged to educate her party members on the importance of a peaceful election.
“We must ensure that our supporters understand the value of peace and the harm that violence can cause our nation,” she said.
The Deputy Organiser for Okaikoi South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Felix Quansah, also pledged his party’s commitment to a peaceful election.