Graphic Town Hall meeting moves to Koforidua
After making stops in Bolgatanga and Sunyani in the Upper East and Brong Ahafo regions in the last two weeks, the Graphic Town Hall Meeting, aimed at giving political parties the platform to pledge peace and sell their messages, will take place in Koforidua today.
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The two leading political parties, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be taking turns at the Presbyterian Ascension Hall at Betom in Koforidua in the Eastern Region to sell their messages, as well as pledge to embark on a peaceful electioneering.
Other political parties such as the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC) and the new All People’s Congress (APC) will also be taking turns to sell their messages.
Messages
They will each make a 15-minute presentation of their readiness for free and fair election on December 7, 2016. They will also speak about their plans for infrastructural development, job creation to maximise human capital, energy as a catalyst to propel the industrial agenda, education to enhance the national cause to be part of the League of Nations and agriculture for food sufficiency and export.
The meetings are part of efforts by the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to bring the activities of political parties closer to the electorate for the 2016 election.
This year’s meetings are on the theme: “Good governance, key to growth and development in Ghana.”
Radio discussion
As part of the Koforidua town hall meeting, a 30-minute radio discussion programme will be held at 9am on the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s (GBC) affiliate radio station, Sunrise FM (106.7 fm), where the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ransford Tetteh, and the Political Editor, Mr Kobby Asmah, will take part in the discussions hosted by Kwamena Onoma.
From Koforidua, the last edition of the meeting for this year will move to Cape Coast in the Central Region on Wednesday September 14, 2016.
Bolgatanga
At the Bolgatanga meeting, the discussants were of the view that the December election was a contest of ideas and so must be devoid of rancour, personal attacks and offensive language.
They stressed the need to disagree and agree on issues and preach as well as tell supporters not to beat war drums and avoid following parochial interests.
During an open forum, some of the participants pointed out the need for politicians to appreciate the achievements of successive governments with the view to ensuring continuity as a way of promoting peace.
Sunyani
In Sunyani, participants stressed the need for the state to make it unprofitable for perpetrators of violence to engage in the act before, during and after the election.
They, therefore, urged radio discussion panellists and hosts to guard against insults, lies and personality attacks.
Leading the discussion on the need for peace before, during and after the election, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Issah Nasagri, noted that political parties “have regrettably made perpetrators of violence honourable people in our society”.
He said those people became leaders through their nuisance values and “we as a people or nation are forced to accept them as our leaders”.
That, he said, was a bad example as the only way perpetrators of violence knew how to lead was through violence.
Other discussants were Mr Ali Dayindey, Regional Communications Director of CPP, Mr Kwame Eshun, PPP Regional Research Officer and Madam Comfort Ackah, NDC’s Deputy Communications Officer. Mr Abeaba Matthew Abereniya, who represented the Trades Union Congress, is also the Regional Officer of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union.
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