The National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) has revealed that it would organise presidential debates for the various presidential aspirants of the major political parties and independent candidates ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Addressing a delegation of United Nations officials at the office of the Commission, Madam Kathleen Addy, the Chairperson of the National Commission on Civic Education indicated that its presidential debates would afford the various presidential candidates in the 2024 general election the platform to convey their policies and programs to the Ghanaian electorates as well as the citizens.
According to Madam Kathleen Addy, the National Commission on Civic Education would equally organise debates for the various parliamentary candidates across the 275 constituencies in the country to offer them the opportunity to interact and discuss their policies and programs with their constituents.
The Chairperson of the National Commission on Civic Education further indicated that the debates that it intends to hold for the various presidential and parliamentary aspirants ahead of the 2024 general elections would seek to minimize tensions and rancor that is likely to characterize the campaign of the various candidates and political parties in the 2024 general elections.
“Apart from these, the debate will also serve as a tension breaker. Because whilst political party candidates may create different platforms for their campaigns, this common platform will let them come together and show to the people that, look, we are not enemies, we are just competing candidates at an election”.
Kathleen Addy, NCCE Chairperson
NCCE Commits To Resolving Issues Of Conflict Ahead Of 2024 Polls
Furthermore, Madam Kathleen Addy emphasized that the National Commission on Civic Education is very keen on addressing any issues of conflict that may arise during the campaigning of the 2024 general elections.
She noted that the Commission has created an inter-party dialogue committee in areas the Commission has earmarked as a ‘buffer zone’ in every constituency in the country to address any issue of conflict or disturbances that may arise ahead of the 2024 polls.
According to her, such initiatives would be very instrumental as part of measures to admonish politicians to eschew any habit that could generate or create tension and enmity among party supporters, particularly the youth in the 2024 general elections.
“The committees hold meetings at the grassroots levels to see how things that could escalate probably into conflict can be nipped in the bud”.
Kathleen Addy, NCCE Chairperson
Moreover, Madam Kathleen Addy recounted that the National Commission on Civic Education has commenced its awareness campaign and youth interaction series through what it described as ‘political parties youth activist workshop’ to educate the youth on their role and responsibilities in political engagement, particularly political procession and demonstrations.
She also noted that the Commission has created platforms where it engages with young people in school on matters relating to political engagement and youth activism in the country particularly ahead of the 2024 polls.
In addition, Madam Kathleen Addy indicated that the National Commission on Civic Education would embark on inter-faith dialogue programs that would seek to address issues of religious sentiment and religious intolerance as it has observed such issues would be very topical in the 2024 general elections campaign.
“In addition to that, we will be holding processions between people of different faiths coming together to preach the message of peace and have fun games with people from different religious groupings. So that we can show to the people that in Ghana, we have lived peacefully from Islam to Christianity, so the fact that this time around, one candidate is a Christian and the other is a Muslim would not break us apart”
Kathleen Addy, NCCE Chairperson
The Chairperson of the National Commission on Civic Education thus called for financial and logistic support from its partners and other stakeholders country to enable the Commission to carry out its outlined programs and discharge its constitutional mandate ahead of the 2024 polls.
Meanwhile, the Peace and Development Advisor (PDA) from the United Nations (UN) to Ghana, Madam Angeline Nkwenkam Nguedjeu who led the United Nations delegation to the National Commission on Civic Education lauded the Commission for its proactive measures outlined to promote peace in the country ahead of the 2024 general elections.
According to her, the delegations would submit its report to the principal officers of the United Nations based on its discussion and engagement with the National Commission on Civic Education for the appropriate measures to be taken by the United Nations.
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