Kumasi, May 29, GNA – As part of efforts to inculcate a sense of nationalism in the youth by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), selected schools across the country are being engaged by the Commission as part of activities to mark this year’s Citizenship Week.
The NCCE has since 2012 been marking the Citizenship Week to whip up public interest in collectively building a vibrant country on the foundation of democracy and rule of law.
It is in line with this that the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission in Charge of Finance and Administration, Madam Kathleen Addy has been visiting selected schools in the Ashanti Region to engage students on their responsibilities to the state as students.
The Deputy Chairperson, who was accompanied by the Regional Director, Madam Margaret Konama and her Deputy, Madam Akua Zakaria, first visited the Martyrs of Uganda R/C School where she spent time mentoring the students on good citizenship.
“We are One, Ghana First” which is the theme for this year’s celebration took the centre stage of Madam Addy’s message as she charged the students to embrace peaceful coexistence as Ghanaians.
She said as young people with the potential to take leadership positions shortly, they must be law-abiding, disciplined and committed to upholding the Constitution.
Taking the students through the historical antecedents that led to the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution, she said the country suffered a lot of military interruptions which disrupted progress.
She, therefore, entreated the students to be ambassadors of the constitutional rule to consolidate Ghana’s democratic governance, which has been practised for close to three decades.
She implored the students to be tolerant to divergent views and respect the rights of others in terms of their religion, ethnicity and cultures to promote national cohesion and integration.
“It is important that we understand that one’s right to religion ends where somebody’s right to religion starts. The fact that you have a right to practice religion does not mean that every other person’s right must be set aside,” she pointed out.
She said nation-building was a collective responsibility of every Ghanaian and as young people, the students should discharge their civic responsibilities at all times under laid down rules and regulations.
Mr Anthony Akansisi, Head Teacher of the school, commended the NCCE for sensitizing the younger generation on the need to be good citizens, saying that was the way to go build a stronger and progressive society.
GNA