The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has empowered pupils of some basic schools in the Garu District of the Upper East Region to be agents of peace ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The pupils were from Garu Day Senior High School, Denugu Junior High School and Siisi JHS.
The move by the Commission was to ensure that the pupils were involved in democratic governance, act as agents of change for accelerated development and contribute significantly to protecting the prevailing peace in their communities.
The Commission engaged the pupils in Garu as part of the celebration of this year’s Citizenship Week on the theme “Children, let’s build Ghana together” and aimed to use public figures considered as role models,to influence the life of the children positively and enable them become good citizens.
Some of the personalities used by the NCCE to interact and impart virtues of good citizenship were representatives of the Garu District Court, Ghana Education Service, Information Services Department, CAMFED, Garu District Assembly and the Business Advocacy Centre.
Speaking to the pupils, MrSamuel Akolgo, the Garu District Director, NCCE, said the mandate of the Commission was to create and sustain awareness of the principles and objectives of the 1992 Constitution in the citizenry, to enhance participation and development.
He said “children are a source of vitality and a remarkable gift to every society as the future leaders and catalyst for peacebuilding, it is important to engage them early.
“They can be powerful agents of change in promoting peaceful elections by educating themselves and others, advocating for peace, engaging in community activities and modeling peaceful behaviour to contribute to a more peaceful and democratic society.”
He urgedthe children to engage their peers, families, schools, and communities to promote peaceful dialogue, respect for diversity, and usenon-violent means to resolve conflict, as a way to promote peace during Election 2024.
On his part, Mr. Thomas Boadi Soyori, the Garu District Court Judge, explained that Ghana was a beautiful country with a rich history and diverse culture and there was the need for a culture of political tolerance to sustain the peace the country currently was enjoying.
“You must understand that our differences make us unique and special and we come from different backgrounds, speaking different languages, and have different beliefs, but we are all Ghanaians.
“Children we must respect each other’s opinions and work towards a common goal of building a better Ghana. It is our responsibility as young citizens to get involved in the development of our country. We can do this by participating in community projects, volunteering, and being informed about the issues that affect our country. We must also encourage our friends and family to do the same,” he added.
