Vote-buying unattainable way to run democracy – NCCE

 The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has expressed concern over what it describes as the “deepening” of the culture of mone­tisation of politics as the country prepares for the 2024 General Election.

The Commission said it had observed with concerns that the issue of vote-buy­ing during elections had become not only a supply problem but voters also usually demand money from politicians before they exercised their civic responsibility.

Addressing journalists at a news confer­ence to mark the 2024 Constitution Day, which falls on January 07, Ms Kathleen Addy, the Chairperson of NCCE, de­scribed the vote-buying phenomenon as an existential threat to Ghana’s democracy.

“We are at a point where a major criteri­on for getting elected into public office is the candidates’ ability to dole out cash to voters. It is time to own up to this terrible practice and commit to ending it. If we don’t end it, it will end us,” she said.

She added: “If we only elect those who can distribute hard cash and gifts, we run the risk of exposing ourselves to the dark and dirty money readily available in the world and we will sell our country to forc­es we cannot even begin to imagine.”

The Constitution Day is intended to acknowledge the nation’s collective efforts at ensuring that the tenets of democracy, the rule of law, and principles of constitu­tionalism are upheld.

It is designed to remind the citizens of their collective commitment to a regime of uninterrupted constitutional order.

The Fourth Republic has now endured far longer than any of the three previous republics, which were all cut short by mili­tary interventions.

Ghana will go to the polls on December 7, 2024, to elect a president and members of parliament for the next four years.

The NCCE said it was poised to effec­tively deliver on its mandate and educate citizens extensively to make informed choices in the December 7 polls.

The Commission has thus set to operate and engage the citizenry on the theme: “Together we can build Ghana, so get involved.”

Ms Addy said the Commission had targeted reducing voter apathy, increasing citizen’s participation, and rallying citizens to make informed choices that would work in the collective interest of the people.

“…2024 will be a test case on our level of political, religious tolerance, and respect for ethnic and cultural diversity; 2024 is an opportunity to affirm our political maturi­ty,” she said.

Ms Addy urged voters to reject pol­iticians who would stoke violence and appealed to politicians to put the country first in their engagements with the elector­ate.

She also appealed to the media to refrain from using their platforms to spread mis­information, hate speech, personal attacks, and divisive utterances.

Reverend Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, rallied all stakeholders and citizens to play their part in order to safeguard the peace that the country had enjoyed since the commencement of the Fourth Republic.

Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, said the call for peace should not be intensified only during election years but should be encour­aged at all times to ensure sustained peace.

Mr George Amoh, the Executive Secre­tary of the National Peace Council, urged the media to be abreast of the content of the Constitution and educate the public on their rights and responsibilities as en­shrined in the Constitution. — GNA

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