By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Atortorkorpe-Ada, Sept 9, GNA-Ms Faustina Blewusi, the Ada East District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on stakeholders to promote peace before, during, and after the 2024 general election.
Ms Blewusi said it was important for political party activists and members to be tolerant of each other, as a lack of tolerance would make it impossible for Ghana to have peaceful elections.
Speaking at the Ada East District Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) meeting, she urged Ghanaians to be patriotic and put Ghana first in all their activities.
She stated that the primary objective of the IPDC meeting was to ensure peace before, during, and after the elections, hence the theme: “Together We Can Build Ghana, So Get Involved.”
Mr Jerryson Ayih, the Ada East District Coordinating Director, reiterated the importance of political tolerance among parties, adding that the district assembly was ready to support the Electoral Commission to deliver a successful election in the area.
Mrs Elizabeth Agyeman, the Ada East District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), speaking on misinformation and disinformation, money in politics, religious tolerance, and electoral violence, said money in politics was a major issue that needed to be looked at.
Mrs Agyeman urged political parties to desist from using money to influence voters and rather concentrate on issue-based campaigns.
According to her, misinformation referred to false information not shared to intentionally deceive or cause harm, while disinformation was the spreading of information to deceive their audience.
She urged political parties and their sympathisers to eschew misinformation and disinformation as they do more harm than good, stressing that campaigns should be centred on issues while calling for responsible reportage from media personnel.
Mrs Agyemang urged the public to be tolerant of each other irrespective of religious and political affiliations, emphasising that peace could not be achieved without tolerance.
She cited examples of electoral violence and wars in other African countries and urged stakeholders to do everything possible to ensure peace before, during, and after the elections.
Superintendent of Police, Andreas K. Mifetu, Ada East District Police Commander, indicated the readiness of the Ghana Police Service to ensure a free and fair election, urging members of the various political parties to use laid-down procedures to address their issues.
He took the stakeholders through some electoral offences, reminding them that “removing, defacing, or tampering with candidates’ posters were electoral offences punishable by law.”
Mr Renald Amarterfio, the Ada District Electoral Officer, assured the stakeholders of the Electoral Commission’s preparedness to conduct free and fair elections on December 7, 2024.
The stakeholders present, including the political parties, unanimously pledged to positively put the national interest above personal grievances and promote peace before, during, and after the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Naana Asi Tettey Akplehey I, the Queenmother of Gbantana, representing traditional leaders, urged all stakeholders to do their best to ensure peace before, during, and after the elections.
A communiqué was signed by representatives of the political parties, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders present.
GNA