Ghanaians urged not to use democracy to breed indiscipline
Mr Stephen Agyei Yeboah, Birim South District Director for National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged Ghanaians not to let the democratic wind of freedom breeds indiscipline in the society.
He said it was unfortunate that some Ghanaians had regarded democracy, which simply means a system of government based on freedom and equality among people, to mean showing disrespect to the elderly.
“The Ghanaian version of democracy means hailing insults on elders including leaders of the country,” Mr Yeboah said at a forum organised by the District Directorate of the NCCE in schools at Akim Aduasa near Akim Swedru as part of activities for the celebration of the Citizenship Day in the district.
The Citizenship Day is instituted by the NCCE to commemorate Ghana’s return to constitution rule in 1992 and also imbue in the youth the sense of patriotism.
This year’s celebration of the Day was centred on school children.
Mr Yeboah said the Ghanaian understanding of democracy was dangerous for the country as it could divide the people.
He said God had endowed Ghana with many natural resources, which could have made the country great, but Ghanaians themselves through indiscipline had been making things difficult for the nation.
The NCCE District Director reminded the children that the best legacy their parents could bequeath to them was education and appealed to them to study hard to become prominent people in future.
“Lands for farming are getting finished and the sea is becoming barren as marine resources are getting depleted,” he said.
“The youth of yesterday, who accused the elders for not doing much to develop the country, has now become the elders of today and if the current youth also accused them, then it must dawn on us that everybody has a role to play in the development of the nation,” Mr Yeboah stated.
He said, “the young and old, female and male, able and the disabled all have a role to play in the development of the country.”
Ms Joyce Duse, Assistant Headmistress of the Local Authority Junior High School, urged children to respect the disabled, but not to taunt them and assist them in their difficulties and also respect the cultures of other people from different tribes.
Mr Benson Kwesi Agyepong, Head teacher of A.M.E. Zion School, urged the children to advise their colleagues, who engaged in bad behaviours, to desist from them.
Tree seedlings were planted on the schools’ compounds to provide shades and serve as wind break in future.
List of names were compiled for the formation of civic clubs in the schools.
Source: GNA