By Jesse Ampah Owusu
Accra, Nov. 18, GNA – The Okaikwei South parliamentary candidates for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) failed to attend a parliamentary candidates’ dialogue organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
Despite prior assurances of their attendance, both incumbent Member of Parliament, Dakoa Newman of the NPP, and Earnest Adomako of the NDC were conspicuously absent from the event, leaving constituents disappointed.
The dialogue, which was meant to give the candidates a platform to discuss their policies and engage with voters, had to be reprogrammed into a peace talk due to the no-shows.
Supporters who had gathered at the Apostolic Church Ghana-Kaneshie Assembly were left disheartened as they awaited the much-anticipated debate.
The dialogue was intended to focus on five key issues: education, employment, health, roads and infrastructure, and the economy.
Mr. Stanley Quaynor, the Accra Metro Director of the NCCE, expressed his concern over the candidates’ absence, noting that the event was a critical opportunity for them to engage directly with the electorate on their plans and vision for the constituency.
“As part of NCCE’s effort to ensure a violence free general elections, the Commission has adopted the theme “Together We Can Build Ghana: So, Get Involved” for its election educational campaign.”
“Accompanying this theme are educational topics such as Disinformation, Misinformation, Fake News, Political/Religious Tolerance, Vote Buying and Electoral Violence among others. These issues the NCCE has identified as potential threats to the peace of the country,” he added.
Mr. Quaynor urged political parties and their leaders to actively participate in NCCE activities.
He said that such involvement not only deepened Ghana’s democracy but also strengthened the country’s democratic credentials.
Mr. Quaynor called on all political stakeholders to engage in dialogues that foster mutual understanding and promote peaceful democratic processes.
He also appealed to the electorate to prioritize peace in all circumstances, particularly during periods of political disagreement and differences in party affiliations, and stressed the importance of maintaining a peaceful atmosphere as the nation moved towards the elections.
Some constituents who spoke with the Ghana News Agency expressed disappointment over the absence of the candidates but hoped that the dialogue would be rescheduled on a more agreeable date.
They also pledged to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the election process, vowing not to be swayed by monetary or personal incentives in their voting decisions.
GNA