Every right goes with responsibilities - NCCE

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Birim Central Municipality has climaxed its activities on this year’s citizenship week celebration with a call on citizens to appreciate that "rights go with responsibilities."

The citizenship week, spearheaded by the NCCE started on May 26 on the theme: "We are one, Ghana first," aimed at inculcating into the populace, particularly young people, their rights and responsibilities as enshrined in the country’s constitution.

Mr Isaac Easuman, Chief Field Officer of NCCE in the Birim Central Municipality, said each act of citizenship was needed in the most critical part of every successful governance, adding, “Because active citizenship builds a better nation.”

He told students who had gathered from schools in the municipality that Chapter Five (5) of Ghana’s 1992 constitution highlights the fundamental human rights and freedoms while Article 41 sums up the obligations and responsibilities of all Ghanaians and those who live in Ghana.

Chapter Five gives citizens the right to health care, Right to education, Right to work, Freedom of worship, Freedom of speech while Article 41 also states that, “it shall be the duty of every citizen; to respect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interest of others.

The chapter also enjoins citizens to refrain from doing act detrimental to the welfare of other persons and to protect and preserve public property and expose and combat misuse and waste of public funds and property.

Mr Emmanuel Opoku, Headteacher of Methodist JHS-Akim Oda Old Town said education on the constitution enlightened students' mind and enhanced their confidence.

He advised students to stick to reading the constitution and other subjects to deepen their knowledge and understanding of their rights and responsibilities as well as tolerance for other views.

Mrs Rejoice Biscoff, NCCE Director of Birim Central Municipality, said the Citizenship Week was introduced as part of the Annual Constitution Week Celebration in 2012 to remind Ghanaians of their role in building a solid constitutional democracy and stressed that the event was introduced to inculcate in school children the values of citizenship and their responsibilities as active citizens and their role in building a strong vibrant and democratic country.

The NCCE marked the week with students from Akyem Aboabo Salvation Army Junior High School (JHS), Methodist JHS - Akim Oda Old town, Islamic JHS, Presbyterian JHS, and St. Francis Senior High Technical School, Akim Oda.