Respect and acknowledge divergent opinions - Horner-Sam

Sekondi Feb. 17, GNA - Madam Sophia Horner-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister, on Tuesday called on the people to respect and acknowledge divergent views to enable the country to achieve economic well being, social stability, peace and tranquillity.

She made the call at a two-day workshop on "Violent Free Elections" organised by the National Commission for Civic Education for youth activists of political parties in Sekondi.

The workshop, which was sponsored by the Frederick Ebert Foundation (FES), was on the theme: "Developing Political Parties' Youth Activists For A violent Free Multi-Party Political Environment."

Madam Horner-Sam said diverse opinions would assist to make sound decisions in the efforts at nation building.

"As we prepare towards the elections this year, we should all be guided by tolerance and patriotism, which transcends party politics". Madam Horner-Sam said the 1992 constitution upheld political pluralism, which means that people should be able to tolerate the views of others that differ from their own.

She urged the participants to take the workshop seriously and serve as peer educators in their communities and political parties. The Deputy Regional Minister further asked them to do their best to be tolerant so as to promote peace especially during this year's electioneering campaign in order not to disrupt the country's development agenda.

"The cases of our sister countries like Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone are enough to caution us about the consequences of intolerance", she said.

Mrs Augustina Akumenyi, Deputy Chairperson of the NCCE, said the commission is the bedrock of democracy in the country and it would continue to perform its role.

She said the commission would intensify its civic education among the people on their rights and responsibilities, particularly during the election year and added that this would focus mainly on the youth so that they would not be misled.

Mrs Akumenyi said Ghana is a peaceful country and this peace must be preserved at all cost.

Mrs Akumenyi appealed to the youth to assist in getting as many people as possible to register as voters since the registration exercise was the first step in the election process.

She advised the public to assist to make the voters register credible and valid by using names used for official purposes.

Mr. Kwaku Baa-Owusu, Regional Director of the NCCE, said the challenge facing the Commission in the region was to sharpen the political awareness of citizens on the issues of the electoral process and on their roles as a people who periodically give their sovereign will to elected governments to manage their life as a nation within the ambit of the general principles of democracy.

He said the commission would sensitise all citizens especially the youth to learn the art and science of politics, break fresh grounds of political engagement and effectively advance the practice of true democracy in the country.