By Emelia B. Addae
Akim Swedru (E/R), June 17, GNA – The Birim South District Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged the public to lend its support to the upcoming district level elections to help establish a strong democracy in Ghana.
Mr. Yaw Somuah, Birim South District Director of NCCE, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of this year’s Constitution Week celebrations in Akim Swedru that a democratic state could not be viable without the respect and support of its citizens.
He reiterated that democracy was a form of government with four essential components, namely: a system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections; active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life; protection of the human rights of all citizens; and the rule of law.
He said the development of democratic values required tolerance, moderation, compromise, and respect for opposing viewpoints.
He described tolerance as a crucial element of democracy because it implied acceptance and respect for diversity, pluralism, and openness, and added that “we need to nurture tolerance in everyday life.”
The 2023 Constitution Week focuses on the theme: “30 Years of Consolidating Constitutional Democracy: Building National Cohesion Through Civic Education and Participation in Local Governance.”
Regarding public participation in district-level elections, the NCCE Director stated that the basic act of citizenship was participation in the electoral process by voting, which also gives a person a voice on life-impacting issues such as roads, education, climate change, health care, and employment.
Through civic education, the National Commission for Civic Education works to promote and sustain democracy and instill in Ghanaian citizens a sense of their rights and responsibilities.
NCCE was established in 1993 by Act 452 of Parliament.
Mr. Somuah stated that the Birim South District partners with identifiable groups such as churches, prayer groups, commercial motorcycle riders, community members, students, and Muslims, among many others.
GNA