NCCE to organize presidential candidates' debate

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Friday said it will organize three Presidential Candidates’ Debate in three zones: Northern, Middle and Southern in September, October and November in collaboration with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

The Commission would also organize Parliamentary Candidates’ Debate in all 275 constituencies and undertake door to door/dawn and dusk broadcast on voter turn-out from September to December.

Mrs Joyce Afutu, NCCE Director of Public Affairs told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the commission would also roll-out civic awareness programmes to enable the public to demand accountability from public officials whilst intensifying education on electoral offences and sanctions.

The NCCE will scale-up engagements with identifiable groups on civic and voter education, show relevant documentaries, and films in communities to promote non-violent political atmosphere, and public education on the Public Order Acts, Mrs Afutu stated.

She said the NCCE as part of measures to increase public awareness, it would embarked on door to door public education on the electoral process to whip-up voter turnout and broadcast civic and voter education messages using cinema and other vans.

“We will use Radio and Community Information centres to educate the electorate on the need to participate in the elections; participate in election observation,” she said.

The NCCE would also engage in post- election education on good governance and peaceful co-existence.

She said as part of measures to kill electoral violence, the commission has adopted measures to empower the youth to understand the tenets of the Public Order Act and the Code of Conduct of Political Parties to curb politically motivated violence.

The NCCE is collaborating with strategic state institutions including the Ghana Police Service, Judicial Service, Electoral Commission, National Media Commission, Community Radio Network, National Peace Council, Ghana Police Service and Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission to empower the youth to stand against violence.

Other activities for the year includes engagement with traditional authorities on Elections and good governance; Education on Environmental Governance; Child Protection - child marriage, child labour among others.

Mrs Afutu said NCCE would also engage with Identifiable Groups and Communities for education on elections to promote peace and tolerance; and hold TV, Radio, discussions on the Constitution Week Celebration.

She said during the 2020 Constitution Week Celebration, the commission would engage Security Services, Corporate and Professional Bodies; engage with people living in places identified as Hot Spots for peaceful election and education for first time voters in Educational Institutions.

She said the Commission in collaboration with the National Peace Council and Small Arms and Light Weapons Commission would also hold meetings with stakeholder on Conflict Management in constituencies, and sensitize the public against Political Party Vigilantism.