BE INTERESTED IN DLEs – NCCE APPEALS TO GHANAIANS

The Kadjebi District of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has called on Ghanaians to take key interest in the District Level Elections (DLEs) at Dodo-Pepesu in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region.

During the engagement, the Kadjebi District Director of the Commission, Mr. Daniel Agbesi Latsu, said it is a civic duty and constitutional right to participate in the voting process because it entrenches participatory constitutional democracy in the country. “Support Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and females vying to be elected as Assembly and Unit Committee Members to help fulfill Article 240 (2e) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the Sustainable Development Goals Five (SDGs 5),” he said.

Mr. Latsu noted that to ensure a vibrant local government system in the country, there must be a continuous effort by all stakeholders to deepen the district assembly concept, by making the sub-structures of the assembly attractive to ensure that more committed and dedicated candidates contest for elections at all levels at the grassroots.

In addition, he explained that the DLEs are a crucial part of Ghana’s democracy because it forms the base structure of the local government system in the country. “The sub-structures of the District Assembly, such as the Urban, Zonal, Town/Area Councils and Unit Committees derived their strength from the convictions that smaller, more compact and transparent local committees, were better placed to address issues of local concerns and the development needs of the people,” he added.

He highlighted the important roles of Assembly and Unit Committee members which include; the mobilization of their electorates for communal and development activities, helping in revenue collection for the Assembly, contacting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and benevolent organizations for projects in their electoral areas, among others as crucial, so electorates must take interest in their elections.

However, he lamented the politicization of the election in recent times where politicians are seen openly endorsing, canvassing, and funding candidates for such elections, thereby electing people who are not fit for the job. Mr. Latsu said, “The act contravened Article 248 (1&2) of the 1992 Constitution and should not be allowed to continue”.

The Chief of Dodo-Pepesu, Nana Saafo Attara II, appreciated the Commission’s educational drive on the elections and asked that it should be extended to other communities.

Similar programmes were held at Dika, Dodo-Fie, Mangoase, Pampawie, Ahamansu, and Dodo-Amanfrom Zongo, among others.