Positive social media conversations will influence IGP’s decision to ban social media or not

The second edition of the ‘Y-Dialogues Vote on Issues’ Campaign held in Kumasi ended with a general consensus by the teeming youth present to generate positive conversations on social media concerning the elections. This consensus was in reaction to comments by the Inspector General of Police that his outfit will consider banning social media on Election Day.

Contributing to a discussion on the topic, ‘social media usage and elections’, a cross-section of the youth present at the event said the security agencies may have monitored social media conversations over a period of time and realized that negative comments from the discussions on social media far exceeds the positive leads, hence their contemplation to block social media on election day to prevent violence.

The youth disagreed with the IGP on his decision to ban social media on election day but alluded to the fact that they – the youth – have a role to play by posting positive comments on social media in order for authorities not to consider blocking social media.

Educating the gathering on electoral issues, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr. Serebour Quaicoo, urged the youth in the Ashanti Region not to be passive about issues regarding the 2016 general elections but do their best to fully participate and let their voices be positively heard.

He said “you must let your intelligent opinions be heard on issues concerning the elections instead of rather fighting each other as political opponents. You can contribute towards a credible electoral process by being part of the process instead of fighting against the process.”

Mr. Quaicoo commended YFM and STAR Ghana for the initiative and urged the youth to learn a lot from the discussions in order to influence their friends and family who are ignorant about electoral issues.

As witnessed during the Accra edition of the same event, the venue was packed with enthusiastic young men and women who were eager to learn about Ghana’s 2016 elections. The interactive nature of the event with its social media legs ensured that other youth who were not at the event followed it with the hashtag #voteonissues.