JIRAPA: NCCE HOLDS ENGAGEMENT WITH POLITICAL PARTIES YOUTH ACTIVISTS (PPYA) ON PEACE AND TOLERANCE AHEAD OF 7TH DECEMBER POLLS

On November 22, 2024, the National Commission for Civil Education (NCCE) held a significant engagement with Political Parties Youth Activists (PPYA).

The event focused on fostering peace and tolerance among political parties, the youth and the entire Ghanaian population.

The event took place at the St. Joseph Parish Hall, Jirapa. It was well planned and executed event that featured a range of activities designed to stimulate dialogue, understanding, and collaborative action.

The welcome address by Mr. Sulemani B. Derigubah, the acting MD-NCCE for Jirapa set the tone that emphasized the crucial role of youth in promoting peace within their communities.

The engagement revolved around two central topics; The role of Ghanaian youth in promoting peace and identifying and countering misinformation and disinformation.

The first topic was handled by Rev. Fr. Jacob Nangpelle. He noted that political leaders are essentially elected to advance the development of their communities, hence there should be absolute peace in the processes leading to their election as agents of development.

“Peace is not the mere absence of war or violence in the society but also serenity of heart, mind and good health”. Rev. Fr. Nangpelle said.

With Bible quotations such as Matthew 5:9 and John 20:19 -26, he highlighted that peaceful coexistence is an important element in the message on the Kingdom of God by Jesus Christ.

He urged the various political parties and youth groups not to interfere in the others’ business. He advised them to eschew jealousy and avoid craving for undue recognition and above all, learn to forgive one another.

In his conclusion, Rev. Fr. Nangpelle encouraged all political parties to accept and respect the choice Ghanaians will make on 7th December, 2024.

The second topic, identifying and countering misinformation and disinformation was facilitated by Mr. Buobu Izu who was the chairman of the event.

Explaining misinformation and disinformation, he noted how they could pose as threat to the peace and security of the country.

He said “Disinformation and misinformation are often used for specific goals such as political manipulation, social controls, financial gains, discrediting opponents and shaping public”.

He therefore cautioned participants to identify and disregard such inaccurate information by the media.

Mr. Buobu suggested some strategies to curb disinformation and misinformation such as being responsible on social media, educating others, reporting misinformation from media outlets to National Media Commission (NMC) and staying informed with accurate information from trusted sources.

He indicated that if these strategies are fully and effectively employed, misinformation and disinformation will be reduced drastically if not eliminated.

He warned that violent extremists are looking out for opportunities to execute their criminal activities and all should be careful not to create any crack that will lead to violence before, during and after the election.

Madam Janet Niworo from the Regional NCCE (National Commission on Civic Education) office, also made some invaluable inputs that enriched the discussion.

She shared her expert perspective on civic engagement and responsible citizenship.

Participants were also allowed to share their ideas on how peace and security can be maintained before, during and after the election.

The last section of the engagement encompassed questions and answers. This allowed for a collaborative brainstorming and idea-sharing. Some participants namely Mr.Ngmen Fortunatus, Mr. Zaato Elias and Mr. Zinekpieou Nicholas all called for equal rights and justice which is the bedrock of peace and harmony in the community.

With just a few days away from the December 7 polls, The National Commission on Civil Education (NCCE) engagement with Political Parties Youth Activists serves as a valuable platform for dialogue and learning to maintain peace and security as well identifying and countering misinformation and disinformation. It empowered young people with the knowledge and skills to become active contributors to a peaceful and tolerant society.

The commitment of the NCCE, religious leaders, the media and community volunteers underscores the shared responsibility in nurturing a culture of peace.