Be an agent of peace and not a contributor to violence – NCCE to youth in Ayawaso Municipality

Under the USAID funded Political Accountability Activity geared towards empowering in-school and out-of-school youth with requisite knowledge to prepare them towards the upcoming December 7 General Election, the NCCE in partnership with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) engaged students of the Institute of Islamic Studies in Nima, Ayawaso East Municipality on Tuesday, September 10 to discuss election related subjects such as political accountability, misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, religious tolerance, electoral violence among others.

The lead facilitator, Mrs. Juliet Amoah of IFES, took participants through the effects of misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and other causes of violence before, during and after an election and how best to avoid being a contributor to violence. Mrs. Amoah further sensitized participants on vote buying, election manipulation, peaceful coexistence, and how to use social media to promote peace during elections. She also emphasized that the engagement targeted the youth because they were the future leaders of the nation and ought to serve as peace agents.

The Director of Programmes at the NCCE, Dr. Imurana Mohammed, admonished participants not to join groups that are determined to cause mayhem but encouraged the participants to be upright citizens and shun corrupt.

Also present at the programme were the NCCE Greater Accra Regional Director, Mr. Mawuli Abgenu, the Deputy Regional Director for Greater Accra, Madam Gloria Amaki, the Country Director for IFES, Sam Gilbert, and Miss Portia Azankra

The event was with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners, the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), made up of IFES, the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Development Institute (NDI).