By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Kadjebi (O/R), Nov 23, GNA – The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), in partnership with the Kadjebi Local Accountability Network (LANet), has sensitised first-time voters at Kadjebi-Asato Senior High School (KASEC) and Dodi-Papase Senior High Technical School (DOPASS) on the electoral process and corruption.
Addressing students of KASEC at Kadjebi in the Oti Region, Mr Anthony Agortimevor, Kadjebi LANet Member, said the voting process must be free, fair, and transparent to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
He said there should be no intimidation, manipulation, inducement, ballot stuffing and that the voter should vote according to his or her conscience to make the election free and fair.
Mr Agortimevor, also a Budget Officer at the Kadjebi District Directorate of the Ghana Education Service, said voting was a civic duty and that every vote counts, so, the first-time voters must thumbprint their ballot papers correctly.
He said vote-buying and selling, underage voting and electoral fraud constitute electoral corruption, so they must resist those acts.
The LANet Member said electoral corruption could lead to the election of wrong people into office, erosion of trust and legitimacy of democratic institutions, expensive election, and violence.
Mr. Agortimevor said Ghana’s democratic process relied on active citizen participation, so the first-time voters should be patriotic and vote for the defense of democracy.
He also advised them not to be lured into engaging in violent acts as that could mar their future.
Madam Comfort Ramona Tsaku, Focal Person, Kadjebi LANet, charged the first-time voters to serve as democracy defenders and cast their vote with integrity.
She said they needed to vote in the elections because their input matters in shaping the future of their communities and Ghana as a whole.
She said voting is a fundamental right and a crucial aspect of democracy, and by participating, they could hold the elected officials accountable for their actions.
Master Emmanuel Carl Nhyira, a first-time vote, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that “I really like the presentation, especially, on how to thumbprint the ballot paper.”
“I really appreciate the education,” he added.
GNA