The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged political party youth activists in the Nandom constituency on the need to uphold and defend Ghana’s peace ahead of the 2024 general election.

The engagement was part of the grand activities of the NCCE to promote peace before, during and after the election.

This falls under the “Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism (PCVE) Action in Ghana’s Northern Regions” project.

The European Union funded- project is being implemented by the Government of Ghana through the NCCE as part of efforts to ensure the upcoming election is event-free.

It is also to prevent the infiltration of violent extremist groups into the country in this critical time of electioneering.

Mr Issahaque Tivengnang Angme, the Nandom Municipal Director of the NCCE, said at the opening of the workshop that the engagement aimed to enhance the knowledge of the youth in fostering peaceful coexistence and tolerance among them.

“It is expected that this engagement will help you to understand the national framework on violent extremism and to expose you to the signs of vulnerabilities and the negative repercussions of joining violent extremist groups,” he said.

The Reverend Dr Stephen A. Koya, the Chairperson of the Nandom Municipal Inter-party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), urged the participants to see politics as a means of contributing to the development of their communities and the nation and not “a do or die” affair.

“It is God who chooses leaders and whoever that God chooses should be accepted as the will of God”, he said.

Rev. Dr. Koya admonished the participants to have inter-faith tolerance and forge together for the common goal of ensuring that peace prevailed before, during and after the 2024 general election for their personal and national development.

“To achieve this, the political party youth activist must be Responsive, Responsible and Respectful; Open, Obedient and Observant; Listen and Love; and have Empathy, Endurance and be a good Example.”

Inspector Ankora Enoch Delali of the Nandom Municipal Police Command urged the participants to desist from peddling misinformation since that could lead to violence.

He entreated them to always verify and cross-check the information they received, especially on social media, before sharing it to help break the chain of sharing fake news or misinformation.

The youth activists of the People’s National Convention, National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party among other political parties attended the workshop.