Yendi youth attend election petition forum
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Thursday organized a forum for stakeholders and some youth groups in the Yendi Municipality on the need for peace during and after the Supreme Court verdict on the Election 2012 petition.
The forum brought together participants from the security services, political party youth groups, chiefs and other traditional leaders with funding from the European Union and Star-Ghana.
The Yendi Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Andrew George Kumah, assured the people of the area that the security services were prepared to deal with any problem during and after the verdict and appealed to the people to go about their normal duties.
Mr. Kumah said the Election Petition before the Supreme Court was part of the democratic process Ghanaians agreed to follow since 1992 when they overwhelmingly endorsed the Constitution.
He urged Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to resolve never to disturb the peace that had won Ghana respect.
He appealed to the youth to make it as part of their daily activity during and after the verdict to sensitize their communities not to engage in violent acts so that peace would continue to prevail.
He commended the people of Yendi for showing maturity during and after the 2012 elections and appealed to them to do same after the verdict on August 29.
Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan Iddi, Yendi Municipal Director of NCCE, said the forum was necessary for stakeholders to help maintain peace at all times and that the Supreme Court Verdict to be announced was crucial in sustaining the country’s peace.
Alhaji Mohammed Baba, Northern Regional Director of the NCCE, said Ghana should not have been talking of peace after the Supreme Court Verdict since the country had held five successful elections.
He blamed political leaders for being those responsible for youth agitations because they supported the youth to form groups who stay under pavilions and sheds doing nothing and said there was the need for leaders to equip the youth with employable skills instead of sitting idle under sheds.
Some of the participants appealed to the National Media Commission to mediate and help stop phone-in programmes and some TV discussions before the Supreme Court verdict to avoid indecent language likely to inflame passion.
Source: GNA