Youth activists urged to preach peace, stay away from post election violence

Some youth activists in Central Tongu district of the Volta region have been urged to avoid any actions and inactions that will fuel election related violence.

At a day post election engagement on peace, tolerance and unity held on Tuesday, 23 March 2021 in Adidome, the participants who were representatives of political parties, youth groups, students groups, community leaders and religious leaders were charged to always prioritise nothing but peace before, during and after elections.

The youth were schooled on Public order Act, code of conduct of political parties, dispute resolution, procedures of handling grievances, alternative conflict resolution mechanism, dispute resolution Act and national peace council Act.

Central Tongu district director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mama Hodzige II speaking after the engagement called on the youth to embrace peace and take Ghana as one since the Supreme Court based on it’s wisdoms ruled on the just ended 2020 elections.

She said the main aim of the workshop is to “ empower them (the youth) to stay away from conflict that will escalate to violate and even war, we want to tell them that we don’t want war in Ghana, we want to tell the youth of central Tongu and beyond that we don’t want anything that will lead us into war, that will send our women into poverty”.

Mama Hodzige further mentioned that, although the 2020 election is over, it is necessary to continue preaching peace, tolerance and unity in order to pave way for peaceful elections in the future.

The Volta regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, David Normanyo facilitated the participants on conflict and resolution mechanisms.

He said elections are “ generally meant to help us choose our leaders who will steer our affairs, so once elections are over we are expecting that all of us will go back to our individual small corners to continue to do the things that we do to promote our personal welfare, welfare of our communities and for that matter the entire country “ .

Mr. David said, “the least we can do is not to engage in violence that will divert state resources otherwise meant for development to address violence issues and those who are elected into government must realise the reason why they were elected into government is to solve problems and they should go to the ground to start solving problems”.

Similar workshop was held in Hohoe municipality on Wednesday, 24 March where the participants welcomed the teachings and pledged to prioritise peace in Hohoe and beyond.

The programme was organized by the National Commission for Civic Education with funding from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under the auspices of the Volta regional NCCE Director, Mr. Kenneth Kpornor.