We must end politics of insults — NCCE

The Central Regional Deputy Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Aliu Mohammed, has called for an end to the use of insults and distasteful language in expressing political ideas.

He said the act only incited rage and dented the image of the country’s budding peaceful nature.

According to him, the use of such language could degenerate into a never-ending conflict that would plunge the country into chaos.

“Our politicians must stay away from the politics of insults they engage in on various media platforms. Such acts can trigger violence and land us in an unpleasant state we never wished for.”

Dialogue

He was speaking at the NCCE’s Inter-Party Dialogue Committee which brought stakeholders together to deliberate on measures to clamp down on rising incidence of crime, extremism, armed robbery, among others, and the need for stakeholders to do their part in ensuring peace, security and national cohesion

The dialogue drew participants from the political parties, traditional authorities, Christian and Muslim organisations, security agencies, the media, Electoral Commission, CHRAJ, PWDs, among other institutions.

Alhaji Mohammed charged the two major political parties to champion the cause of building a resilient society devoid of war and other extremist violent activities.

“Let us do away with hateful speech and intolerance, that can cause rage and germinate into an uncontrollable situation and rather focus on building a peaceful Ghana we will all love to live in,” he stated.

The District Director of Immigration, Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) Mr Emmanuel Boateng, advised residents to be alert and report persons who acted in a manner that could put lives in danger.

Vigilance

He said the recent attacks in neighbouring countries called for extra vigilance on the part of citizens to avert a similar instance in the country.

“When we look at what is happening in other countries in the sub region, we cannot sit down unconcerned and watch these acts creep into our societies and harm us. Let us put our acts together and help report any suspicious act or persons to the appropriate quarters to avert any serious situation,” he stated.

The Mfantseman Municipal NCCE Director, Ms Judith Adomako Ofosua, for her part, admonished parents to keenly monitor the movement of their children to prevent them from falling prey to incidents of abduction.

She explained that young children had intense curiosity about things around them and eagerness to explore which often exposed them to abduction or being lured into other negative societal tendencies.

She, therefore, urged parents “to keep an eye on them at all times to prevent instances of kidnap and other vices that are gradually gaining grounds in our society.”

Regulation

Participants in the engagement called on stakeholders to help regulate content on various media platforms, insisting that such content contributed to the increment in crime rate and other social vices.

They called on the regulatory body to institute punitive measures for media outlets that failed to comply with acceptable standards.