District level elections on March 3-- NCCE educational programs generate interest

Community durbars and meetings in mosques and churches being organized across the country by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) over the forthcoming district level elections on March 3 have generated interest in the elections. This view was expressed by a cross section of people interviewed by the EANFOWORLD-GHANA over the past two weeks in some parts of Accra including the Ayawaso and the Dome Kwabenya constituencies in Accra. Although the ongoing campaigns are not as brisk as compared to presidential and parliamentary campaigns organized on partisan basis, a sizeable number of men, women and youth have got interested in contesting for the polls. Again the campaign jingles produced by the NCCE and being played on radio and television stations across the nation have caught on well with the people most of whom are preparing to cast their votes on the day of the elections. According to one account, some wealthy persons and technocrats are investing their resources in their campaigns and are eager to win elections to enter the assemblies.

To have a feel of the durbars held across the nation yours truly attended one of them on the elections for aspiring assembly men and women and the disabled at Teshie in Accra. The participants were unanimous in saying that though the assemblies were responsible for development at the local levels the assembly members are not motivated to be able to attract people to contest for places in the assemblies. While they call for payment to be made to assembly members, the women contestants asked for support and encouragement from their husbands and family members. The disabled must also be encouraged to take part in the elections as they are likely to fight to make our public buildings and other facilities disability friendly. The participants also called for tolerance and non violence as significant elements to promote peace in all localities. The participants' advised all candidates to desist from promising to embark on development projects as failure to do so would lead to the people getting disillusioned. Mrs. Joyce Afutu Director of NCCE in charge of corporate and public affairs said the program was meant to whip up interest in the people towards the forthcoming elections and for deepening democracy in the country. She added that the interest shown in the elections would go a long way to get Ghanaians to elect the right candidates to the assemblies. Mrs. Lucille Annan Greater Accra Regional Director of NCCE called for massive participation of all registered voters and vote for candidates of their choice irrespective of their gender adding that there is nothing wrong with men who choose to encourage their wives to contest elections at the district level. The participants expressed satisfaction over the educational program and promised to make use of the lessons leant before and after they are elected into the assemblies.

Source Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai
Executive Director
EANFOWORLD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
P.O.BOX 17070AN 233244370345/23326370345/ 233208844791

[email protected] /[email protected]