Students urged to contribute towards peaceful polls in December

Koforidua, May 12, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Anyimadu, Clerk of Parliament, on Friday advised students to contribute their quota towards ensuring a peaceful and violent-free election by comporting themselves and educating their communities to do same throughout the electoral process.

“You should be mindful of the fact that there is no substitute for peace; and that a peaceful environment is a pre-requisite for progress, as well as human development”.

Mr Anyimadu, who was inaugurating the Students Parliamentary Club of Koforidua Polytechnic, urged the students not to engage in any act that had the tendency to compromise the peace in the country.

He said the quest for peace had become even more critical, judging from the pockets of violence that characterized the just ended biometric registration.

Mr Anyimadu challenged the students to use their privileged position to help guard against the recurrence of any violent incident during the December polls and reminded them that as future leaders, they constituted the most important resource required for the development of the country.

It is therefore imperative for us as an institution, involved in making laws for the governance of the country, to adequately prepare the youth to effectively take over the mantle of leadership”.

Mr Anyimadu announced that the National Youth Authority (NYA) was in the process of establishing a National Youth Parliament by July 01 this year and that all Students' Parliament Clubs in the various tertiary institutions would be in the forefront of that undertaking.

He indicated that the prominence given to the Students' Parliament by the NYA was a clear indication that the concept had gained grounds and virtually became part and parcel of the democratic dispensation.

Mr Anyimadu encouraged the students to discuss pertinent issues that were critical to their survival and future well-being but added that their interactions with friends and colleagues should be conducted in a decorous manner, devoid of intemperate language.

Professor Reynolds Okai, Rector of the Koforidua Polytechnic, noted that the future of the nation depended to a large extent on Youth Parliament adding “Our success or failure depends on how you comport yourselves”.

He advised the students to actively participate in the electoral process peacefully and not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to foment trouble before, during and after the December general elections.

Ms Beatrice Bernice Boateng, Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, advised the youth to stay away from all forms of vices that could land them in trouble.

GNA