Swiss Ambassador Extends Courtesies to NCCE

A delegation led by the newly appointed Ambassador of Switzerland to Ghana, His Excellency Dr. Thomas Oertle, has paid a courtesy visit to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at its Head Office in Accra. The visit sought to strengthen institutional relations and explore areas of mutual interest in civic education, democratic governance and citizen participation.

Welcoming the delegation, Chairperson of the NCCE, Ms. Kathleen Addy, expressed appreciation for the Ambassador’s decision to engage the Commission early in his tenure. She outlined the constitutional mandate of the NCCE and highlighted the Commission’s collaboration with local government authorities, traditional authorities, security agencies, public institutions, religious leaders and other organised groups in advancing civic education across the country.

Ms. Addy explained that the Commission has built extensive networks and databases of trade associations, youth groups, churches and other organised bodies, which provide important channels for public education at the grassroots level. She noted that these partnerships enable the NCCE to reach diverse sections of the population and sustain engagement on issues relating to civic responsibility, democratic participation and national development.

She further observed that although the Commission’s mandate covers the entire population, Ghana’s demographic structure places young people at the centre of contemporary civic education efforts. In response to the growing presence and activity of young people online, she said the NCCE has increasingly extended its public education activities to various social media platforms, complementing its traditional community-based engagements with digital communication.

Ambassador Oertle, who was accompanied by the Political Adviser at the Swiss Embassy in Ghana, Mr. George Koran Appiah, expressed appreciation to the Commission for the insights shared and commended its commitment to civic education. He noted that Ghana has demonstrated a deliberate commitment to civic education through the recognition and prominence accorded to it in the 1992 Constitution.

He further underscored the need for the country to sustain its investment and attention to civic education, describing it as a fundamental pillar of national development and transformation. According to him, effective civic education remains critical to shaping the attitudes, values and behaviours of citizens and strengthening democratic participation.

In the company of the Chairperson during the engagement were Directors of the Commission, including Mrs. Dora Hammond, Director of Administration; Mrs. Monica Mamatta, Director of Finance; Dr. Henrietta Asante Sarpong, Director of Research, Gender, Monitoring and Evaluation; Dr. Imurana Mohammed, Director of Programmes; Ms. Peace Kondo, Director of Human Resource; and Mrs. Rita Amparbin, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs.