By Jesse Ampah Owusu, GNA
Accra, Sept. 05, GNA – The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Ga West Municipality has inaugurated a 33-member Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) to champion election-related education and advocacy in the Municipality.
The IPDC comprised representatives of political parties, the Electoral Commission (EC), Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, religious leaders, traditional authorities, Persons With Disabilities, police, women and youth groups and the media.
It would serve as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among political parties, stakeholders and citizens to address electoral concerns, promote tolerance, and mitigate potential conflicts.
The Municipal IPDC would be chaired by the Reverend Michael Ofosu-Yeboah, Head of the Amasaman District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, and assisted by Mr Michael Boamah, EC Officer for Ga West Municipality as Vice Chairman, and ASP Mr Safianu Ali, District Police Commander of Amasaman, as Protocol Officer.
Also, the Reverend Joshua Afutu Lamptey, Head Pastor of Grace Mission Church, and Madam Elizabeth Tetteh, Market Queen of Amasaman Market, are Organiser and Assistant Orgaiser, respectively.
Madam Edith Awudor, Ga West Municipal NCCE Director, said the NCCE was establishing the IPDCs at the regional and district levels as a proactive measure to foster peaceful elections and ensure political stability in the country.
She said the upcoming electoral period presented a critical time for Ghana, and it was essential to ensure that voters were well-informed and engaged.
Madam Audor said the Committees were expected to meet regularly, at least once every month before the Election Day, adding that, emergency meetings would be called at any time issues that could affect the peaceful conduct of the elections came up.
She said some of the key activities they would be carrying out included organising interactive inter-party fora aimed at defusing tensions, engaging stakeholders in resolving inter and intra-party disagreements, and organising social events to enhance inter-faith tolerance.
Reverend Michael Ofosu-Yeboah, Chairperson of the Ga West Municipal IPDC, urged the team to be diligent in its mandate to ensure peaceful elections in the Municipality.
He urged the public not to allow politicians to divide them along political, ethnic and religious lines, saying, they should stand for the interests of Ghana and not that of any political party or candidate.
“The interests of Ghana should be our ultimate aim and interest, and not those of political parties and candidates. We should always put Ghana first in every decision and action we take in this election,” he said.
Mr Michael Boamah, Electoral Commission Officer for Ga West Municipality, urged electoral stakeholders in the Municipality, especially the political parties, to approach them anytime they had any issues with the electoral process.
ACP Susana Adjei, Divisional Police Commander, Amasaman Division, said they had put in place measures to ensure there was peace before, during and after the elections in the Municipality.
She added that they (police) were well-equipped and ready for the task ahead to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
GNA