Election 2020: Let politicians use their own children to fight - Prof Gyampo to the youth

Professor Ransford Gyampo, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana's Political Science Department, has warned the youth not to allow themselves to be used as agents to foment violent conflict for politicians who do not mean well for the country.

He said it is senseless for any young person to be involved in violence, get injured or die for a politician when the politician’s children are not part of it.

“I must also warn the youth that, they will continue to lose respect in the eyes of the very politicians they die for if they continue to allow themselves to be used as agents to foment violent conflict and to fight dirty political wars of unscrupulous politicians who do not mean well for Ghana,” he explained.

Professor Gyampo's comments come on the back of recent cases of violence which were recorded over the weekend at Asawase in the Asokore-Mampong Municipality in the Ashanti Region and at Jamestown in the Odododiodoo constituency.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, he said should any politician initiate an idea of causing violence, the youth should tell the politician to use their own children to fight instead of using them.

“Acts of conflict and violence perpetrated by young people, under the instigation of politicians will perpetuate the derogatory but sometimes deserving description of the youth as immature, and dangerous to themselves and society. If young people must lead any violence, the children of politicians must be part of the onslaught. For, it is a gross display of senselessness for any young person to go and get injured or die for any politician when the children of such politicians are kept safe” he said

Over the weekend, some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) were wounded following a clash between them.

Videos circulating on social media show the supporters in party colours and holding party paraphernalia while throwing stones, bottles and other items at each other at a junction called One Way in the Odododiodio constituency.