Media tasked to assign space for civic education

Accra, April 23, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Wednesday tasked the Ghanaian media to devote daily space and airtime for civic education to ensure that citizens were alive to their rights and responsibilities. "The steady democratic development in the country demands an equally active citizen's participation and act of responsiveness from both the government and the governed from an informed position.

"It is the wish of the NCCE that as citizens of Ghana, from whom all governments derive their power, we will strive to deepen our civic knowledge, sharpen our civic skills and position ourselves appropriately to participate effectively in governance in order to achieve transparency in governance and strengthen the culture of government accountability," Mr Baron Amoafo, NCCE Deputy Chairman in Charge of Programmes stated at a press conference in Accra. Mr Amoafo therefore tasked the media to slot civic education on their daily programme on air and in the newspapers, saying, "This will go a long way to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country."

The press conference organized by the NCCE was to officially launch the ninth Constitution Week celebration, which is on the general theme: "Beyond Elections, Citizens' Participation and Government Accountability". The week starts from April 28 to May 4 throughout the country.

The celebration, instituted by the NCCE, is to enable Ghanaians to participate in discussions, debates, theatre performances and other activities on the constitution to make it "a living document embodied on the mind and heart for the attainment of democracy and good governance". It is also as a result of an urgent demand for knowledge and information on the constitution to accelerate the growth and sustenance of democracy and constitutionalism in the country.

Mr Amoafo said since 1992, Ghanaians have had the opportunity to exercise their sovereign will and power through elections, in choosing or selecting the president as enshrined in the constitution. He said the elections have shown that the power to select our leaders such as the president and members of parliament rather resides with the people and that the electorates had the power to vote for a new set of government or retain the government.

Mr Amoafo said the theme would enable the public to consider whether after the elections, the people of this country had any further role to play in ensuring accountability of government. Mr Kwaku Baa Owusu, NCCE Director of Public Education described Election 2008 as a poll which for the second time in the nation's political history changed the political administration of the country, and reinforced the national resolve to build a society that was premised on the principles of democracy.

He explained that while democracy remained the preferred system of governance, it was important that as a nation, "we do not limit its essence to practice to elections only".

"The elections are over, but our democracy is not over. Beyond elections, there are even greater challenges of governance. It is only with effective participation of the citizenry in national affairs at all levels that good governance, whose attributes include transparency and accountability in public and private life, can be ensured. "The 1992 constitution, in its preamble, demands transparency and accountability. As a nation, therefore, the people have an obligation to permanently engage their leaders on the basis of a principled, democratic arrangement to build a society that respects the virtues of transparency and accountability," he stated. Mr Baa Owusu said "it is important that, as citizens, we initiate and implement constructive actions towards ensuring that our leaders do address our needs.

"It is our responsibility to ensure that the right national priorities are set and that our national resources are properly managed in the best interest and welfare of the citizens. "As citizens, we need to encourage ourselves to be concerned with issues and developments around us. We must ensure that things done in our name and our national resources are properly managed in the best interest and welfare of the citizens". 22 April 09