The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) is strengthening its civic education programmes and partnerships with key stakeholders to help consolidate the country’s democratic gains.

The Chairperson of the commission, Kathleen Addy, said the NCCE could only maximise the impact of its work if it worked closely with the media and other partners to reach more citizens.

She said the commission’s efforts were aimed at ensuring that Ghanaians understood the country’s democratic foundations, their rights and responsibilities, and the role they could play in holding public officials accountable.

Ms Addy was speaking at an engagement with journalists and other stakeholders in Accra last Thursday, on the theme: “Strengthening Civic Education through Strategic Partnerships”.

Building informed citizens

The NCCE Chairperson said civic education was central to Ghana’s democratic journey, particularly in helping citizens understand and protect the freedoms guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution.

She noted that the country had made significant progress since the return to constitutional rule, including the expansion of media freedom and greater opportunities for citizens to participate in national discussions.

She said those democratic gains could not be taken for granted and required responsible and informed citizens to protect them.

Ms Addy said the NCCE, therefore, valued its partnership with the media because of its ability to amplify civic education messages and reach citizens across the country.

“We can succeed in something, but if we don't have reach, if we don't have the media to amplify the things that we do, we will not be as impactful as we can be,” she said.

Participation

Ms Addy said the media had played an important role in Ghana’s democratic development by giving citizens platforms to express their views, covering elections and holding public officials accountable.

She, however, stressed that democratic freedoms must be accompanied by responsibility.

She urged the media to uphold accuracy, fairness and professional ethics, particularly at a time when misinformation and disinformation can spread rapidly through digital platforms.

According to her, false reports, fabricated audio, edited videos and deepfake content could inflame political tensions and undermine confidence in public institutions.

Protecting democratic gains

Ms Addy said the country’s democratic progress had been achieved over several years and must be protected by all citizens.

She said the NCCE would continue to work with the media and other stakeholders to deepen civic education and encourage citizens to participate meaningfully in democratic processes.

She also called for greater reflection on how citizens and institutions were using the freedoms provided by the Constitution.

She said the objective was to ensure that the country's democratic gains translated into a stronger culture of accountability, responsible participation and respect for constitutional values.

The NCCE, established under the 1992 Constitution and Act 452 of 1993, has the mandate to promote and sustain Ghana’s democracy and create awareness among citizens of their rights and obligations through civic education.