Ghanaians asked to participate in district-level elections
The Acting Volta Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Augustine Bosrotsi, has called on Ghanaians to actively participate in the district-level elections.
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‘This will serve as a sign of the discharge of their duties as citizens of the nation”, he stated.
He made reference to Article 42 of the Constitution, which stipulates that: “Every citizen of Ghana, 18 years of age and above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda.”
Mr Bosrotsi said this at a durbar of chiefs and people of Bonakye in the Nkwanta South District aimed at whipping up interest in the upcoming district-level-elections.
The durbar was organised by the NCCE with support from the European Union (EU).
Agents of development
“Assembly members are agents of development and also act as liaison between the community, district assembly and non-governmental organisations. They take our views, opinions and proposals to the assembly and also explain government policies to the people, among other functions and, for that reason, the importance of the elections cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.
The Nkwanta South District Director of NCCE, Mr Kenneth A. Nyame, advised against politicisation of the district-level elections as it was against the laws of the country.
He called on all media houses, chiefs, pastors, Imams and all who led various groups in the communities to help the NCCE in sensitising the people to increase interest in the elections.
Mr Nyame also took time to educate the people on the voting process and encouraged all to help, especially the elderly in our various homes, on how to vote and fold the ballot paper to reduce spoilt ballots.
Participation of women
The Area Development Programme (ADP) Manager, World Vision, in the Nkwanta South District, Madam Theresa Esi Davis, called on women, persons with disability (PWDs) and other vulnerable groups in the society to take up leadership positions in the communities by standing to be elected as assembly and unit committee members.
That, she said, would give them the opportunity to be involved in decision making on issues affecting women and children in their communities.
She advised women to send their children to school, especially the girl-child, and also encouraged them to take their studies seriously as they were the future leaders of the country.
Increase in polling stations
The outgoing assembly member of the Bonakye South electoral area, Mr Manuribe Donkor, called on the Electoral Commission to increase the number of polling stations in the area to take care of the people who have to travel long distances to cast their votes, adding that long distances discouraged them from participating in the elections.
Members of the Bonakye D/A JHS Peace Club acted a play on the need to encourage women and Persons with Disability to contest the District Level Elections.