Desist from making predictions about election outcomes - NCCE to religious, ethnic leaders

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has cautioned religious and ethnic leaders against the dangers of making public predictions about election outcomes, which often lead to tensions and violence if their predictions do not come to pass.

The Deputy Regional Director, Greater Accra, NCCE, Gloria Amarkie Kudo, therefore, called for urgent measures to tackle religious intolerance and ethnic interference in the country's political landscape.

She highlighted the detrimental impact of these issues on the country’s democratic stability and urged for a collective effort to safeguard the country’s electoral process ahead of the 2024 general election.

Event

Mrs. Kudo made this known when the NCCE inaugurated the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee for the Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra last Wednesday.

Dubbed: “Together We Can Build Ghana, so get involved,” it aims to foster peaceful political engagement and promote electoral harmony ahead of the 2024 general election.

Mrs. Kudo said, “When religious and ethnic leaders pass judgement on who will win an election, it sets a dangerous precedent. If their favoured candidate does not win, they may blame the Electoral Commission or NCCE for perceived failures, leading to conflict among supporters."

She, therefore, called for community engagement to discourage leaders from making such predictions and urged citizens to critically assess political messages rather than blindly following leaders.

"We must educate our communities to think critically about the messages they hear and not be swayed by the personal biases of their leaders," she said.

The committee comprises representatives of the various political parties in the constituency, security agencies, the Electoral Commission, traditional and religious groups, the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the NCCE, market women, and the media.

The committee will be led by the Assistant Electoral Officer, Korle Klottey, Efua Kitson-Amoah (Chairperson for the committee); Osu Alata Mantse, Nii Kwabena Bonne V, (Vice-Chairman) and Amanda Sefakor Tutu (Secretary).

The members of the IPDC are to act as a peace council, focusing on monitoring electoral activities, receiving complaints, organising forums , convening emergency meetings, and addressing potential conflicts in the constituency.

Misinformation

Mrs. Kudo therefore, urged members of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) to include combating misinformation in their outreach efforts, stressing the importance of verifying facts before sharing them.

“We must educate our citizens to check the authenticity of information. Even if the information is true, if sharing it would harm our nation’s peace, it may be best to refrain.”

Peace

The Municipal Director, NCCE, Nii Adjiri Sackey, emphasised that peace was not only a constitutional obligation but also a collective duty for all residents.

“It is our duty as citizens to live in peace and harmony, and as a municipality, we aim to spread awareness of these constitutional provisions, particularly Article 41, which calls for every citizen to promote peace and cohesion,” he said.

Mrs. Kitson-Amoah also called on Ghanaians to prioritise policy evaluation over monetary inducements in the upcoming 2024 elections.

She urged voters to scrutinise the policies presented by political candidates, saying, "We should look at the policies and not just the money or little gifts they offer. We must ask ourselves whether these policies will help our future or benefit us in the long run”.

The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Adabraka District, Mohammed Salifu, also urged the political parties to trust and collaborate with the security services to ensure there is peace and stability in the country.

Pledge

The Director of Elections & Information Technology (IT), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mike Lamptey, and other party members pledged their commitment to the committee's objectives.

"We are committed to help prevent political tensions and build trust among ourselves," he added.

Source: graphic