By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Aug. 31, GNA – Ahead of the 2024 general elections, Civic Education Clubs (CECs) in second cycle schools in the Ashanti Region have called for a peaceful election devoid of violence to consolidate the gains of multi-party democracy in Ghana.
The clubs, which were formed by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with school authorities, is an initiative aimed at encouraging students to honour their civic responsibilities as expected of every Ghanaian citizen.
It also seeks to inculcate in them Ghanaian values and sense of patriotism as future leaders.
The Regional Directorate of NCCE, as part of efforts to promote peace at all levels ahead of the crucial election, has been engaging the clubs to develop messages that promote peace as a strategy to get young people involved in the peace campaign.
The idea is to encourage their peers to appreciate the importance of peace to national stability and development.
The Commission has so far engaged CECs in schools such as Opoku Ware School, Kumasi High School, Bosome Senior High Technical School, Sabronum Methodist Senior High Technical School, Mansoman Senior High School and St. Hubert Seminary Senior High School.
The rest are Bodwesango Senior High School, Kumasi Academy, St. Andrews Senior High School, Maaban Senior High Technical School and Ejisu Senior High School.
Under the guidance of Patrons of the clubs and the NCCE, the clubs have developed catchy and thought-provoking peace messages to appeal to the conscience of Ghanaians to embrace peace.
During one of such engagements at Sabronum Methodist Senior High Technical School, a physically challenged female student who sits in a wheelchair, made an emotional appeal to Ghanaians to protect the peace in the country before, during and after the election.
She asked Ghanaians to remember vulnerable people, like herself, who may suffer the consequences of violent clashes as the election approaches.
Madam Margaret Konama, the Regional Director of NCCE, said the formation of CECs was a way of reaching out to young people with civic education which is critical to national development.
She said it was refreshing that young people were showing interest in the promotion of peace, saying that engaging them at that level was the way to groom them into responsible citizens.
The Regional Director explained that since many of them were first time voters, it was important to engage them on issues such as vote buying, misinformation, disinformation, political tolerance, and peaceful coexistence.
GNA