The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Upper East Region says the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections are a contest of ideas and not a do-or-die affair.

Mr James Abdulai Ayaala, the Upper East Regional Director, NCCE, emphasized the need for peace, before, during and after the elections.

“It does not mean it is a do or die affair in this election. It is a contest of ideas. You need to sell the manifesto of your political party.”

Mr Ayaala said this when the Kassena-Nankana West District Directorate of the NCCE engaged some youth of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Paga as part of efforts to intensify activities to ensure continuity and sustainability of peace in the 2024 general elections.

The engagement was on the theme: “Together we can build Ghana, so get involved.”

Mr Ayaala noted that the youth played vital roles in the election process. “In any situation, especially when there is confusion or violence, it is mostly the youth that we see at the forefront.

“So the NCCE thought it wise to engage you to ensure that the message of peace is spread across the length and breadth of the country for you to understand that you can live in harmony even though you may have your preferences,” he said.

Mr Robert Dampare, the Kassena-Nankana West District Director of the NCCE, advised the NPP members to concentrate on their policies and sell their message to the electorates peacefully.

He said some politicians would try to use money to influence them to perpetuate violence, and admonished them to stay away from politicians who tried to buy their conscience with money.

Pe Ayikode Zangwio Atoge IV, the Paramount Chief of the Katiu Traditional Area, said the elections should be about policies and what the various candidates had for the people, devoid of violence and religious intolerance.

“It is about your policies and plans, if I see that your policies and plans will help me, then I will vote for you. So there is no need for the youth to fight among themselves.

“We just want a peaceful and smooth election. We are all brothers,” Pe Atoge IV, who is the Chairman of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC) in the District, said.

Mr Mandela Mubashir Kassim, the Chiana-Paga Constituency Youth Organizer of the NPP, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview after the engagement that they would continue to propagate the message of the NPP in a peaceful manner.

“We will preach the gospel of the NPP about what we have done and what we are yet to do. We are not ready for any violence. I can assure you that in Chiana-Paga Constituency, on our part as the youth of the NPP, there will not be any violence,” he said.

Officials of the NCCE after the engagement with the NPP, moved to the ‘Royal Ghetto’ to engage with youth in the Paga township on the need for them to participate in the 2024 elections peacefully, and not allow themselves to be used to perpetuate violence.