By Laudia Sawer
Tema, Aug. 14, GNA – Officials of the Tema Office of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) have paid a working visit to Ms. Ebi Bright, the Chief Executive Officer of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), to build partnership in the discharge of their respective duties.
Ms. Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, the Tema Metro NCCE Director, said the visit forms part of a nationwide drive by the commission to discuss potential collaborations and explore ways to enhance civic engagement in the country.
MS Badu added that the objective of the relationship-building visits is also to expand the commission’s network, broaden and enhance better working relationships with major stakeholders, and also solicit stakeholder support for the NCCE’s work, especially at the grassroots level.
Giving a brief on the NCCE, she said the commission is an independent constitutional commission established under Articles 231 to 239 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, also by an Act of Parliament, Act 452, 1993.
She added that the NCCE has a mandate to promote and sustain democracy, civic awareness and nation building through civic education, which is done through the commission’s flagship programmes, including Annual Constitution and Citizenship Week Celebrations, Project Citizen Showcase, Civic Education Club activities, dialogue series, democracy lectures, and others.
She recounted some collaborations her outfit has had with the TMA in the past, mentioning tax education programmes to encourage residents to honour their bills, SIM card registration sensitisation, voter registration, and others.
Ms. Badu further noted that even though the NCCE has its quarterly activities carried out at the national, regional and district levels, the office also engages in internal district programmes which need their attention and educational drive.
She commended the TMA for its continuous support, stating that activities such as the constitutional quiz for the security agencies in the metro and sensitisation of schoolchildren, among others, were helpful.
She announced that a civic education quiz would be organised for some selected schools within the metropolis in September to test the knowledge of members of the civic club on national issues such as illegal mining.
Ms. Ebi Bright, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, commended the NCCE for their civic work, stating that the TMA could collaborate with the commission to educate people on the importance, international nature and concept of the Sakumo Ramsar site.
She expressed worry that people want to develop in the Ramsar even after prosecutions, an indication that proper education needs to be done in such situations.
She requested the quarterly guide of the NCCE to enable the assembly to be abreast with the things and how best to support and participate in their activities.
Ms. Bright promised that her outfit was working on providing a befitting accommodation to the NCCE, stating that some issues the assembly could engage the services of the commission on are disability access and gender issues, among others.
She said: “I don’t think anybody cares; a whole TMA doesn’t have disability access for the main office, and I’m thinking that it’s a statement of misdirection, so I don’t feel justified in going round the city to talk about it, but it’s essential, and it’s saying more about us, so it’s a matter of urgency; things like that we must start to engage on.”
The Tema Metropoiltan CEO appealed the NCCE to educate residents on sanitation issues, development control challenges, payment of property rates and other bills,
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah