NCCE to sue The Independent newspaper

Accra, June 27, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Tuesday gave the Publishers, Editor and a Reporter of The Independent newspaper a two-week ultimatum to publish the names of its officials alleged to be engaged in acts to sabotage the peace of the country.

"The Commission would resort to all legal remedies to defend its hard earned reputation as a Governance State Institution mandated among other responsibilities to uphold and educate Ghanaians on the tenets of the 1992 Constitution should the newspaper failed to substantiate or retract the said allegation," NCCE stated in a statement to the press signed by Mr Napoleon K. Agboada, Director, Public Education.

The Independent, in its Monday June 25th, 2007; Edition Published an article under the headline: "As AU Conference draws closer Rawlings Dribbles Gaddafi Uses his money for anti-NPP demo."

In paragraph seven of the publication, the reporter stated: "As part of its clandestine moves, and to make the marches very effective unimpeachable sources have hinted that, the NDC is using some staff of the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE) to undertake its mobilization exercise for the demonstration."

The Commission considers the allegation very staid with the potential of degrading the reputation and Constitutional mandate of NCCE; "we therefore demand from the Publishers, Editor and reporter of the Independent Newspaper to publish the names of the said NCCE staff within two weeks."

According to the Commission its attention of an alleged Anti-Government demonstration by the National Democratic Congress during the African Union summit in Accra was through the publication. "The NCCE vehemently denies any knowledge of such an arrangement between NDC and some staff of the Commission to organize the alleged demonstration," the statement stated.

"As required by law, the Commission has worked hard over the years to maintain a non-partisan posture. It is in this vein that the Commission formulated a policy of severe sanctions against any staff who engages in any partisan political activity."

The Commission urged the media and the general public to be prudent in their reportage "not to run down any State Institution's hard won reputation but to report any such acts which have the potential to undermine the credibility of such institutions to the appropriate authorities".