By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, June 2, GNA – The Upper East Regional Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has engaged pupils of the Sacred Heart Junior High School in Bolgatanga, to mark this year’s Citizenship Week.
They also called on them to be law abiding citizens.
Speaking to the pupils, Mr Mawuli Agbenu, the Upper East Regional Director of the Commission said being responsible and law-abiding was a requirement for everry citizen of Ghana.
He said such a demand was not only enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, but was imperative for sustainability of law and order in society for peaceful and sustainable development.
It was celebrated on the theme, “30 Years of Consolidating Constitutional Democracy and Building National Cohesion: The Role of the Ghanaian Child”.
Mr Agbenu said the 1992 Constitution was the fourth since Ghana became a republic in 1960 and stood the test of time after 30 years, “so it is important for you children, as future leaders to uphold the values and tenets of the Constitution for sustainable development”.
“As a citizen of Ghana, you enjoy the fundamental human rights and privileges upheld by the Constitution and it is the duty of the state to protect you, however, you also have a duty to defend and be loyal to the Constitution, you need to be patriotic and willing to defend your country at all times even at the point of death,” he said.
The Regional Director told the pupils that being responsible citizens also required them to be hardworking, focused on their studies and avoid activities that had the tendency to truncate their education such as teenage pregnancy and substance abuse.
“The Constitution says that we should avoid acts that are detrimental to each other, and we must live together in harmony and respect each other’s rights. You need to also report people who are doing wrong to the authorities as good citizens” he said.
Mr Agbenu advised the students to protect and safeguard the environment by avoiding indiscriminate felling of trees, illegal mining, improper disposal of waste and destruction of water bodies among others, to have a healthy environment.
Mr Christopher Adogmah, the Upper East Regional Internal Auditor, NCCE, noted that threats of violent extremists were becoming real and advised the pupils to report anything suspicious to their school authorities for investigation.
He therefore urged the pupils to be good citizens and help build the nation.
Mr Martin Ayamga, the Head teacher at the Sacred Heart Junior High School, commended the NCCE for extending civic education to his pupils and noted that it would go a long way to influence their behaviour positively.
GNA