The Volta Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Kenneth Kponor, has called on citizens to uphold constitutional values and exercise responsible behaviour in the digital space to safeguard national peace and security.

He made the call during activities marking the 2026 Constitution Week Celebration on the theme "Upholding Our Constitution in the Digital Age: Our Collective Responsibility,” organised for security agencies in the Volta Region.

Mr. Kponor noted that the annual celebration remained one of the flagship programmes of the NCCE and was instituted in 2001 to commemorate Ghana’s return to constitutional democratic rule.

He observed that the digital space had become central to communication, access to information, and citizen participation in governance, but cautioned that it also posed serious challenges, including misinformation, disinformation, cybercrime, online fraud, impersonation, invasion of privacy, and online abuse, particularly against women and children.

“These issues undermine public trust, distort national conversations, and pose threats to social cohesion and national security,” he said.

Mr. Kponor emphasised that the 1992 Constitution governed citizens’ conduct both offline and online, stressing that freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly and within the confines of the law.

He reminded personnel that Article 41 of the Constitution places a duty on every Ghanaian to uphold and defend the Constitution.

Mr. Kponor also highlighted the importance of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), which provides a legal framework to combat cybercrime and protect digital infrastructure.

“Enforcement alone cannot solve these challenges. There is a need for continuous public education, especially among the youth and people within the informal sector who may not fully understand the civic and legal implications of their online activities,” he stated.

Dr. David Esinu Normanyo, Volta Regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, said digital platforms had become major amplifiers of conflict situations.

He explained that disputes involving land, chieftaincy, and ethnicity were often escalated through social media through the spread of hate speech and false narratives.

“The lesson from our peacebuilding efforts is that legal enforcement alone is not enough. We need collaborative and community-based civic education to prevent digital and resource-based conflicts before they escalate,” he said.

Dr. Normanyo called for stronger collaboration between state institutions, traditional authorities, and local assemblies to promote peace and responsible digital citizenship.

Reverend Israel Akrobortu, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Children, also expressed concern about the growing misuse of digital platforms, particularly the spread of online abuse, misinformation, and fraud affecting children and women.

He said the theme sought to create awareness about the consequences of misinformation and cyber-related crimes while promoting the responsible use of digital technologies for civic participation and constitutional education.

The engagement involved visits to personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and the 66 Artillery Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.

Commanders of the various security agencies commended the NCCE for the initiative and pledged their support in promoting responsible digital behaviour and combating cybercrime in the region.

They also encouraged their personnel to remain law-abiding and adapt responsibly to the evolving digital era while strengthening collaboration with the NCCE to maintain peace, law, and order.

On April 28, 1992, Ghanaians voted in a referendum to adopt the Fourth Republican Constitution, which came into force on January 7, 1993.

Since 2001, the period between April 28 and early May, extending to the end of May, has been observed annually as Constitution Week to promote awareness of constitutional democracy and civic responsibility.