A Non-governmental Organisation, Arise Africa Youth international (AAYI) has called on the citizenry, particularly the youth to desist from any violent acts during the 2020 general election.

Its founder, David Akwasi Amofah at a press briefing advised the youth to be much concerned about activities that will bring about national development instead of acts that can cause destruction and loss of property.

According to him, since the youth forms 70 per cent of continent’s the population and a majority of that percentage are either uneducated or unemployed, Ghanaian youth must act responsibly in order to these statistics positively.

“Youth development should be the priority to all governments and development agencies. The government alone cannot carry this huge burden. Neglecting of the needs of the African Youth can lead to serious repercussions, typical examples being recent unfortunate incidents in Nigeria.

“Back home in Ghana, as we approach National Presidential and Parliamentary elections, we have seen various negative incidents of violence involving the youth such as clashes between the youth supporters of two political parties at Odododiodo constituency as well as the brutal killing of a member of parliament. The effects of the ‘end SARS’ protests involving the youth in Nigeria are all incidents worth noting.

“As a group, AAYI wishes to drum home the peace message, advising the youth to desist from any acts of violence now, during and after the elections,” he said.

He also stressed that nobody should allow themselves to be used by a party or political actor to incite violence, adding that “It is important to safeguard the peace and security we have enjoyed over years, and we can only do so by avoiding violent acts.”

“We AAYI stand for Peace, now, during and after the Elections’ and advise all other youth groups to do same. On the second part of the briefing, I will be touching on youth Policies for this election. As we enter Presidential and Parliamentary elections, top on the agenda for AAYI is the various youth policies presented by the various parties,” he said.

All appears to be set for the polls on Monday, with valid registered Ghanaian voters expected to go to the polls to elect the occupant of the Jubilee House, the seat of government for the next four years.

Two hundred and seventy-five members of Parliament will also be elected to serve for a four-year term. 

Polls will open from 7 am to 5 pm in 38,622 polling stations in all the 275 constituencies nationwide. 

The record of 12 persons contesting for the lone presidential slot in Election 2020 will go down in Ghana’s electoral history as the biggest slate of candidates since the country began the practice of democracy.

The candidate who secures 50 per cent plus one eligible vote in the Presidential contest will be the eighth President of the Fourth Republic.