Politics is about the diversity of ideas, development of the people – NCCE

The Oforikrom Municipal Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) has been tasked to increase its education on political tolerance.

Madam Akua Zakaria, Deputy Ashanti Regional Director, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), said the Committee, in its line of duties, should advocate for the unity of purpose and diversity of ideas since politics was about the development of the people.

Addressing a meeting of the IPDC at Oforikrom, in the Greater Kumasi area of the Ashanti Region, she explained that the country had come a long way to building good democratic tenets, especially under the Fourth Republican Constitution.

Therefore, the gains made ought to be protected for the benefit of society, she emphasized.

“Why should our political differences divide us or plunge the nation into confusion?” she quizzed, saying stakeholders needed to work hard in their respective capacities to promote the Rule of Law.

She said studies and experience had shown that the adherence to democratic principles remained the best choice of governance.

It was the way to go in building a stable and prosperous country given the chaotic scenes, blatant abuse of human rights and other autocratic tendencies associated with military regimes, she noted.

Madam Zakaria said the NCCE would not relent in its sensitization of political parties to always be development-oriented and to tell the citizenry the programmes they had lined up to transform their lives for the better.

Engaging in hate speech and violence, she said, ought to be avoided to help promote peaceful co-existence among Ghanaians.

The IPDC meeting was organized by the Oforikrom Municipal Office of the NCCE and aimed to reignite dialogue among political parties and other stakeholders on the collective responsibility of ensuring peaceful co-existence as a cornerstone of national cohesion.

The participants were also exposed to the dangers of violent extremism.

It formed part of the Commission’s implementation of a peace campaign, which is being executed in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security with support from the European Commission (EU).

The theme was “Empowering Ghanaians to Stand for National Cohesion and Inclusive Participation.”

Madam Zakaria urged the participants to join the campaign against violent extremism, which posed a threat to national security.

They should know that ensuring the security of the Ghanaian society was a shared responsibility, the NCCE Official noted and appealed to political parties not to stoke tension as they sought to win the confidence and mandate of the people.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Ahianyo, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), in a presentation, took the participants through the Public Order Act, Vigilantism and Related Offences.

He implored the citizenry to be abreast of the Act and endeavour to abide by it for sanity to prevail in the society.

ASP Ahianyo called on political activists to resolve to conduct their activities in line with the provisions in the Constitution, urging them to avoid acts that threatened the security of the country.

Dr Henrietta Sarpong, Director of Research and Planning, NCCE, noted that the collaboration between the Commission and the National Security Ministry sought to empower Ghanaians to stand for peace and national cohesion.