Victor Nuworkpor, the Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged political party youth activists to adhere to and respect the electoral rules of Ghana to ensure the upcoming election is peaceful.

He entreated them to tolerate dissenting views and respect the country’s democratic principles and election protocols as they were prerequisites for ensuring peace before, during and after the upcoming election.

He said this in Wechiau in the Wa West District during an engagement with political party youth activists on the need to ensure their actions and inactions did not mar the nation’s peace during this electioneering and beyond.

The engagement was organised by the Wa West Directorate of the NCCE under the European Union (EU)-funded “Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism (PCVE) Action in Ghana’s Northern Regions” project implemented by the NCCE.

The Ghana government, through the NCCE, is implementing the PCVE project as part of efforts to build resilience and empower Ghanaians, especially the project beneficiaries to prevent the influx of violent extremists into the country through promoting peace.

About 40 participants representing political parties in the Wa West Constituency – the Liberal Peoples Party; Ghana Union Movement; National Democratic Congress; New Patriotic Party; Peoples National Convention; Convention Peoples Party and the New Force Movement among others attended the workshop.

Mr Nuworkpor expressed concern about the “toxic political atmosphere in the West African sub-region” and said, “for Ghana to solidify its democratic credentials, young people must preach and practice peace.”

Madam Esther Suglo, the Wa West District Director of the NCCE, encouraged the activists to be responsible for their actions and not to allow politicians to exploit them for their parochial electoral interest.

She cautioned young people to appreciate the fact that everything had a price and Ghana’s peace could not be compromised under any circumstances.

Mr Tahiru Lukman, the Chief Executive Officer of IDEAPATH Consult, and a facilitator of the workshop, took the participants through the role of youth in ensuring peaceful electoral outcomes, inter-religious tolerance, and misinformation.

He urged the participants to see peace and tolerance as key to promoting peaceful co-existence, social cohesion, and a successful electoral outcome.

The political party youth activists at the engagement pledged to demonstrate peace before, during and after the 2024 general elections.