NCCE Eastern Regional Directorate rolls out Regional Student Empowerment Flagship activities

The Eastern Regional Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has rolled out Regional Student Empowerment Flagship activities, which commenced on February 14th, National Chocolate Day (Valentine's Day), and are expected to end on March 6th, National Independence Day.

The NCCE Eastern Regional Director, Madam. Ophelia Ankrah, told newsmen at Koforidua that it is the civic responsibility of every citizen to instill in the youth, especially students, the essence of national monumental events such as National Chocolate Day, the 28 February Osu Crossroad Incident, and Independence Day.

She explained that the NCCE Eastern Regional Directorate set up the Regional Students Empowerment Flagship activities to equip the students and encourage them to show love to Mother Ghana through patriotism, nationalism, hard work, honesty, decency, discipline, and decorum in all facets of their lives.

The NCCE Eastern Regional Students Empowerment Flagship activities were monitored in Koforidua by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult), communicate2develop@gmail.com, which is a development communication advocacy non-governmental organization based in Tema, Ghana, that has embarked on a Cervical Cancer Prevention Change Paradigm Advocacy campaign.

Madam Ankrah explained that the initiative also aimed at shifting the attention of the youth, especially students, from engaging in unproductive activities and events during memorable national events to more proactive events to build a sense of nation-building and prepare them for the world outside the school environment.

The NCCE Eastern Regional Director said some of the activities for the period, including fora, lectures, drama, and musical shows, were used, for instance, on National Chocolate Day (Vals Day), as grounds for sensitization of the students.

All 33 Districts and Municipal Offices of the Commission in the Eastern Region took part in the National Chocolate Day event and would continue to play an active role in other events to ensure that the Regional Students Empowerment Flagship activities become a broad base event in the region.

According to NCCE Eastern Regional Data after the event, 66 Junior High Schools made up of 4,321 females and 3,401 males participated in the Chocolate Day event, while 22 Senior High Schools also made up of 19,342 females and 13,658 males.

Madam. Ankrah commended Promasidor and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Tafo Research Centre, for supporting the national Chocolate Day event in the region, as well as the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult), for embarking on a Cervical Cancer Prevention Change Paradigm Advocacy campaign.

The CDA Consult Cervical Cancer Prevention Change Paradigm Advocacy campaign also seeks to champion free cervical cancer vaccination and scale up prevention, detection, and treatment towards the elimination of cervical cancer in Ghana, anchored on responsive communication as a weapon for attitudinal change advocacy for mass voluntary vaccination and encouragement for a healthy lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Madam Ankrah speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the event reminded Ghanaians of the urgent need to uphold the principles and objectives of the 1992 Constitution as the fundamental law of the land and to protect it at all times against all forms of abuse and violation.

She noted that though the indicators of civic awareness were rising, as is being witnessed in the steady growth of democratic practices—the freedom of the media, the emergence of social and political lobbying groups, and the vibrancy of social commentators—the resort to militancy as a means of settling differences in many areas called for a deeper study of the 1992 Constitution.

She, therefore, appealed to the media to periodically remind Ghanaians of the Preamble of the 1992 Constitution: "In the name of the Almighty God, we the people of Ghana, in exercise of our natural and inalienable rights, shall establish a framework of government that shall secure for ourselves and posterity the blessings of liberty, equality of opportunity, and prosperity.

"In a spirit of friendship and peace with all peoples of the world; and the solemn declaration and affirmation of our commitment to freedom, justice, probity, and accountability.

"The principle that all powers of government spring from the sovereign will of the people, the principles of Universal Adult Suffrage, Rule of Law, the protection and preservation of fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms Unity and Stability for our Nation,” she stated.

Source: modernghana