Don’t use democracy to breed indiscipline

Mr Stephen Agyei Yeboah, Birim South District Director for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged Ghanaians not to let the democratic wind of freedom breed indiscipline in the society.

He said it was unfortunate that some Ghanaians regarded democracy, which simply means a system of government based on freedom and equality among people, to mean showing disrespect to the elderly.

“The Ghanaian version of democracy means hurling insults on elders, including leaders of the country,” Mr Yeboah said at a forum organised by the District Directorate of the NCCE in schools at Akim Aduasa, near Akim Swedru, as part of activities for the celebration of the Citizenship Day in the district.

The Citizenship Day has been instituted by the NCCE, to commemorate Ghana’s return to constitution, rule in 1992 and also imbue in the youth the sense of patriotism.

This year’s celebration of the day was centred on schoolchildren.

Mr Yeboah said the Ghanaian understanding of democracy was dangerous for the country as it could divide the people.

He said God had endowed Ghana with many natural resources, which could have made the country great, but Ghanaians themselves through indiscipline had been making things difficult for the nation.

The NCCE District Director reminded the children that the best legacy their parents could bequeath to them was education, and appealed to them to study hard to become prominent people in the future.

“Lands for farming are getting finished, and the sea is becoming barren as marine resources are getting depleted,” he said.