2024 elections: Be ambassadors of peace – NCCE to youth

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has advised Ghanaian youth to eschew political violence ahead of the 2024 Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections in December.

Instead, Mr. James Abdulai Ayaala, the Upper East Regional Director of the Commission, who gave the admonishment, urged the youth to be peace ambassadors and spearhead peaceful campaigns to ensure free and fair elections.

Speaking to some students of the Bolgatanga Midwifery College in Bolgatanga, the Regional Director emphasised the importance of collective efforts and the critical role of the youth to ensure peace and stability before, during, and after the elections to enhance sustainable development.

The engagement formed part of the European Union (EU) sponsored project, dubbed “Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism (PCVE),” being implemented by the NCCE in eight regions of Ghana.

It aimed at empowering the youth to understand the concept of electoral violence and how they could build political and ethnic tolerance to ensure social cohesion ahead of the 2024 elections.

It was to also educate the students on the activities of violent extremism and how to build resilience against being radicalised and recruited into extremist’ groups to destabilise the country.

Mr. Ayaala explained that tension was often high during election periods, stressing that the stakes were even higher this year due to the personalities of the two leading political parties involved in the elections.

Despite the interest, he said, the country must remain united and peaceful so as not to create an enabling environment for extremists to exploit and destabilise the country.

“In our subregions, such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, they have had their share of these violent extremists’ activities... so the Commission has taken upon itself to educate and preach peace at all times", he said.

Mr. Ali Anankpieng, the Executive Secretary, Upper East Regional Peace Council, who took the students through the activities of violent extremists, cautioned the students against being influenced and recruited into extremists’ groups to cause mayhem.

Mr. Anankpieng noted that the offers of the extremists were mouth-watering, and due to the hard economic and unemployment situation, some youth might be tempted to accept such offers and urged young people to build resilience against such attempts.

“Be critical when consuming information on social media and sharing of same information. Some can be fake, and every youth is a target, you may be deceived and your freedom taken away," he added.

Mr. Milton Aberinga, the Programmes Director, Development Research and Advocacy Centre (DRAC), a civil society organisation, advised the students not to sell their conscience and votes to the politicians during the election, adding that money could influence electoral violence and underdevelopment.

Source: GNA