NCCE Director tasks youth not to sacrifice their lives for politicians

The youth in the country have been tasked not to sacrifice their lives for politicians prior, during and after the December 7 elections.

Tweneboah Kodua, the director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Asokwa Municipality in Kumasi, advised on Wednesday afternoon.

The occasion was the induction ceremony for newly posted national service personnel in the Asokwa municipality.

He reminded the youth not to forget that elections will come and go but the country will remain.

Therefore, the youth should seek the supreme interest of the nation and not that of their favourite politicians and political parties at all times, particularly during electioneering periods.

As the elections approached, Mr Kodua averred that some politicians and political parties would want to engage the youth in one form of violence or the other to advance their parochial interests, but the youth should not allow themselves to be used for such adventures.

"we're the future leaders of the country, so if we allow ourselves to be used to destroy the country all in the name of politics, then we'll have no country to preside over" the municipal NCCE director lamented.

He postulated that politics is a competition of ideals and policies that are geared towards national development and elections are only the vessels for the nation to decide which way to go, hence violence has no part to play in the process.

Mr Kodua observed that it is about time the youth tells politicians that they abhor electoral violence and that if they want to foment trouble they should use their family members.

"After all, their family members are the direct beneficiaries of their largesse, therefore if they want people to fight their battles with violence, they should use their people" the municipal NCCE director emphasised.

He therefore urged the youth to stand for peace before, during and after the upcoming polls because at the end of the day the country will be the ultimate winner.

Mr Kodua seized the opportunity to educate the gathering on the correct way of thumb printing and folding of the ballot paper.

To prevent a spoilt ballot, he said after thumb printing, the ballot paper ought to be folded horizontally before being placed in the ballot box.

He advised voters to vacate the voting premises after casting, noting that they can only return to observe the counting exercise when the process is over after 5;00 pm.

Stressing that voting is a civic responsibility enshrined in the 1992 constitution, Mr Kodua encouraged qualified persons to come out in their numbers to vote for their preferred parties and candidates on December 7.