By Lawrencia Akoto Frempong
Tema, Nov. 23, GNA – Madam Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, the Tema Metro Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has advised the electorate in Tema East constituency to participate fully in the Election 2024 for national development.
Madam Badu said this during a parliamentary dialogue organised by the NCCE, Tema Metro, to give parliamentary candidates the opportunity to interact with the electorates and respond to the findings of the research conducted by the Research Department of the NCCE themed: “Matter of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter”.
She stated that no eligible person must be excluded from decision-making and the right to make a choice in electing a representative in parliament.
She said this was in line with the NCCE’s working theme for the year, “Together We Can Build Ghana, So Get Involve,” stressing that “we are all involved, so let’s build Ghana together by participating fully in these general elections”.
She stated that Ghanaians have the political power to govern and rule themselves, mentioning that Article 1(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states that “the sovereignty of Ghana resides in the people of Ghana in whose name and for whose welfare the power of government is to be exercised in a manner and within the limits laid down in this constitution.”
She noted that the commission has visited the senior high schools within the metropolis and some groups to educate them on the need to vote and how to vote as first-timers and urged them to be agents that promote peace in the metropolis.
Reverend Francis Tetteh Guggisberg, the Tema Metro Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) chairman, said members were poised to ensure peaceful elections in the area through initiatives such as the peace campaign in the senior high and technical schools within the Tema metropolis.
He noted that it was the duty of every Ghanaian to contribute towards upholding the current peace in Ghana, reminding them that peace was expensive.
He said, “Money, properties, and other material aids cannot restore peace once it is broken, and some African countries have no peace due to political violence and other issues; therefore, it is incumbent upon every Ghanaian to guard and protect the peace that exists.”
He urged political parties, supporters, and the candidates in the constituency to do what they could to maintain peace in the constituency.
Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) parliamentary candidate, commended the NCCE, IPDC, and other partners for organising the dialogue for them to interact with the electorates and educate them on the importance of peace in the country.
He mentioned that electoral violence brings about misunderstanding among families and friends, which tends to destroy properties and lives, and therefore reiterated the call on the constituents to maintain the peace and unity that existed within the constituency.
The parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Yohane Amarh Ashitey, who doubles as the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, was unable to attend the dialogue.
GNA