NCCE INTENSIFIES EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN IN ER (PAGE 20)

Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua

THE Eastern Regional Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has intensified its educational programme to school the people in the region on their civic responsibilities, especially on constitutional issues.
Under the programme, which coincided with the celebrations of the eighth National Constitution Week that started at the weekend, durbars are being held with various organisations, such as the security services, during which the various aspects of the Constitution would be discussed and explained.
Also being discussed are the December elections, the participation of the people and how to make the elections violence free.
Addressing two separate gatherings on the issues at Koforidua attended by a cross-section of the people, as well as officers and men of the security services, at the weekend, the Regional Director of the NCCE, Mr Emmanuel Quaye-Sowah, called on Ghanaians to defend the constitution against all forms of abuse and violations.
Speaking on the theme: “The Sovereign Will of the People and the Elections”, he said Ghanaians should not only be active during voting period, but all times during which they should demand transparency and accountability from all those who held power in their trust.
Mr Quaye Sowah said the constitution enjoined every citizen of voting age to exercise his or her franchise, adding that any person who suppressed or attempted to suppress the lawful political activity of another person commits an offence punishable by a fine of GH¢200 or to imprisonment for a term of five years or both.
He also spelt out the role of members of the security services during the elections, which, he said, included vigilance, professionalism, non-partisanship, firmness, fairness and resoluteness.
Mr Quaye-Sowah gave the assurance that the NCCE would collaborate with the police in educating the public, especially on the Public Order Law, to prevent or minimise the incidence of violations during the elections.
A Chief State Attorney, Mr Anthony Gyambiby, took the gathering through the electoral process.
He stressed the need for peaceful elections to avoid mayhem before, during and after the elections.
Ghana, he stressed, could not afford to replicate the recent unfortunate electoral catastrophe (carnage and political upheaval) experienced in other countries in Africa.