The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has admonished Ghanaian youth to resist any attempt by political actors to use them to foment trouble as the country go the polls next month. They must rather contribute to a peaceful election which is critical to national stability as young people destined to lead the country in future.
Mr. Kwaku Krobea Asante, Senior Programme Officer for Institutional Development, MFWA, who gave the advice, reminded the youth that allowing themselves to be used to perpetrate violence may affect their chances of being appointed if their parties win power due to their bad records.
“If for nothing else, do not allow yourself to be used as instruments of violence but rather an instrument for peace,” he advised a group of young people at a Regional Youth Dialogue organised by MFWA in Kumasi.
The event which sought to sensitise participants on the need to embrace peace ahead of the 2024 election was on the theme, “Peacebuilding: The Role of the Youth in Contributing to Peaceful 2024 Elections in Ghana.”
It was attended by selected youth drawn from political parties, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
Also in attendance were representatives from Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) of the NDC, and the Tertiary Students Confederacy of the NPP.
Mr. Krobea Asante entreated the participants to stay away from tendencies that could plunge the country into turmoil in the name of working for their respective parties.
He also spoke about how misinformation and disinformation could affect the electoral processes, and urged the participants to desist from spreading false information deliberately.
He explained that sometimes, people share inaccurate information unknowingly and advised them to verify the authenticity of any information they come across before sharing such information especially on social media.
He cautioned against cropping photos or selectively choosing quotes or statistics to frame issues or individuals in a particular way for parochial interest.
This way, we can collectively contribute to information hygiene which is critical to credible and violent-free election, he noted.
Rev. Emmanuel Badu Amoah, Regional Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council (NPC), urged Ghanaians to prioritise peace and security for national development. He said every citizen should be interested in the country’s security and work collectively for peace.
He said the youth have a role to play in ensuring peaceful elections, promotion of political participation and engagement as well as fostering conflict resolution and peace mediation.
Rev. Amoah further stressed the importance of avoiding hate speech to build community cohesion, and implored Ghanaians to maintain the country’s enviable status as a beacon of democracy in sub-region.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
