By Philip Tengzu
Wa, June 07, GNA – Ghanaian citizens have been urged to help protect the constitutional democracy in the country to continue to enjoy peace and stability.
Mr Nurideen Mumuni, the Wa Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), made the appeal while addressing students of the Wa Islamic Senior High School (SHS) as part of activities marking the 2023 Constitutional Week Celebration in the Municipality.
He said the successful handing over of power from one political party to another since the 1992 referendum, which paved the way for the re-introduction of multiparty democracy in the country, was beautiful and added value to the nation’s democratic credentials.
Mr Mumuni said observing what was happening in neighbouring countries, the Ghanaian citizens must wake up and play their individual and collective roles to protect its constitutional democracy from all forms of abuse to safeguard the peace of the nation.
He urged the students to respect religious and ethnic diversities to help promote peace on campus and in their respective communities.
Speaking on the topic, “Preventing and containing violent extremism”, Mr Nuhu Mustapha, the Upper West Regional Director of the Information Services Department (ISD), stressed the need for citizens to contribute to increasing the nation’s security based on the indiscriminate activities of violent extremist groups within the sub-region.
He said citizens could help by providing timely information on security threats to the appropriate authorities for them to deal with before they escalated.
Mr Sinto Mustapha Nuhu identified the marginalisation of minority groups, and ethnic, religious and political conflicts as some of the drivers of violent extremism and urged the students to be measured in their engagement with social media, as it was one of the means terrorists often take advantage of to recruit members, especially the youth.
“The identity of a terrorist is not known until the fellow is killed in a battle and unmasked, hence it is not possible to associate one religion or code of dress of an individual or group of persons to be terrorists”, he said.
Mr Abubakari Amin, the Senior House Master of the School, advised the students to report the presence of any stranger or suspicious characters on campus to the school authorities for timely intervention.
Mr Victor Nuworkpor, the Upper West Regional NCCE Director, advised the students to desist from resorting to demonstrations to vandalise public property anytime they were not happy with any decision of the school authorities.
The 2023 Constitution Week celebration, which was supported by the European Union (EU), was on the theme: “30 Years of Consolidating Constitutional Democracy: Building National Cohesion through Civic Education and Participation in Local Governance”.
GNA