Awutu Seny East: NCCE organises stakeholder engagement on violence-free polls

The National Commission for Civic Education branch in the Awutu Senya East constituency of the Central Region says enough sensitization has been carried out to ensure that the constituency which has been identified as one of the flashpoints ahead of the 2020 elections is peaceful.

The commission says various community engagement with key stakeholders such as the police, political parties and religious bodies have yielded results.

Speaking to Citi News at a youth activist workshop in Kasoa, Deputy Director for the Commission, Mary Dagbah indicated that, various stakeholders present were taken through conflict-related issues that happen prior to elections and what can be done to change the status quo.

The Deputy Director for NCCE added that various youth groups, churches, and some smaller associations within the municipality have also received their fair share of sensitization.

“The purpose of the youth engagement was to highlight the importance of maintaining peace before, during and after the elections. We took them through conflict generation, causes and effects of conflicts and how to find solution to it,” the Deputy Director for NCCE said.

“We also deployed some of our staff into the communities where they engaged various associations, youth groups, market women among others on the need to maintain peace going into the elections. So I can bet you that the education has gone down well in Awutu Senya East.”

She was optimistic that the sensitization exercise the NCCE has carried out will go a long way to ensure that violent activities are curtailed in Awutu Senya East.

District Crime Officer for the Kasoa Divisional Police Command, ASP Obiri Yeboah who was at the youth engagement workshop cautioned key actors in the constituency like the two main political parties– the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress– to desist from any act of violence that has the tendency to disrupt the election process on December 7.

According to him, the command is ready to implement the Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act 2019 on persons who may flout the law.

“It is important for us to appreciate the peace we enjoy in this constituency and this program is meant to educate especially the political parties and their supporters about the Public Order Act. I also shared my experience at various war-torn countries I have visited to serve as a deterrent to them,” ASP Obiri Yeboah said.

He also urged supporters of the political parties to go home when they cast ballots adding that, that is the only way to maintain peace on the day of the elections.

He indicated that police are prepared to implement the Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act 2019 which will be applied to persons who flout the laws.

“The Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act 2019 will be applied on the day of the elections and you will charged. I’m not sure anyone would like to be charged under that law because once you are caught, you will serve a jail term of not less than 10 years,” ASP Obiri Yeboah said.