INTER-PARTY DIALOGUE COMMITTEE INAUGURATED IN PAGA 9th MAY, 2024

A District Inter-Party Dialogue Committee [IPDC] under the auspices of the National Commission for Civic Education [NCCE], has been reconstituted and inaugurated this Thursday noon in Paga, capital of the Kassena-Nankana West District in the Upper East Region. The committee actually, already exists in the district but became dormant after the last general elections in 2020.

The C'ttee Members ina Group Photo

The IPDC has a membership of 40 with the number comprising political party representations, representatives of religious bodies, the security, some public service institutions and the media as well as representation from the Persons with Disabilities among others.

Kassena-Nankana West District Director for the NCCE, Mr. Robert Dampare in his welcome and introductory remarks at the inauguration ceremony, stated that the Committee has very important and clearly spelt-out duties to execute; through the electioneering campaigns, to the elections and after to help ensure a free, fair and violence-free elections. He said for instance that, it also collaborates with the Electoral Commission for accreditation to do election monitoring including checking out violations in the electoral process and reporting same to the authorities for appropriate remedies.

Mr. Dampare added that, the Committee has a checklist to monitor which parties adhere to or violate the political parties’ code of conduct, initiates measures for the quick resolution of party conflicts and issuing joint statements alongside other stakeholders on political issues relating to the electoral process. The Committee is also mandated to hold radio sensitization programmes and organize workshops/seminars for the education of electorates and the general public on the rules and regulations regarding the electoral process.

Mr. Dampare, NCCE Director
 

Meanwhile, it also falls within the confines of the Committee to undertake church and mosque visitations, home visitations and having appointments with other identifiable bodies and organizing floats; all geared at educating and sensitizing the voter population and the public about the dos and don’ts in the electoral process and persuading everyone to do the needful so as to achieve a peaceful and orderly election 2024. The NCCE boss therefore advised the Ghanaian politician against hate speech, the destruction of campaign posters and other political installations of rival parties as such acts “will result in disturbing the peace we all cherish as a nation and a beacon of peace in the sub-region”.

District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana West, Hon. Gerard Ataogye in his inaugural address noted that, “the country in recent times is faced with challenges both internal and external that threaten the stability, peace and democratic governance we hold dear” and thus described the Committee as representing “a group of committed stakeholders capable of adding to fashioning out a unified response to these challenges”.  He observed that credible and peaceful elections are hallmarks of democracy and good governance in the developed world, yet in many developing countries, particularly in Africa, elections are often marred with violence, hardships and destruction of life and property – siting neighbouring Burkina Faso, Mali and Sudan as examples.

The DCE expressed optimism that Ghana will emerge stronger and democratically sound after the 2024 general elections stressing that, “the strength and resilience of our democracy have been tested through five presidential transitions and three peaceful transfers of power from one party to another through the ballot box”. He charged the citizenry to remain vigilant and steadfast in the nation’s commitment to uphold the rule of law, respect for human rights and the dignity of all citizens; as the country gears up for the 2024 general elections this 7th December.

DSI Ubindam, Making His Presentation
Meanwhile in his presentation on “Vulnerabilties To Violent Extremism, Youth Radicalization ,Mediation And Resolution Of Local Conflicts”, Immigration Officer with the Paga Command, DSI Robert Ubindam revealed that persons may be at the verge of radicalization if they begin exhibiting the following: isolating themselves from family and friends, unwillingness or inability to discuss their views, a sudden disrespectful attitude towards others, using extremist terms to exclude people or incite violence and increased levels of anger/hostility towards other people and government among other vital signals.

The Officer appealed to all Ghanaians especially border residents to be very attentive to aforementioned signs as their vigilance could be that single move that could become the lead to defusing any terrorist attacks in the country.

Paramount Chief for the Katiu traditional area, Pe Ayikode Zangwio Atoge IV was elected Chairman of the 40-member IPDC and is deputized by Rev. K.E Kojo Asamoah of the Presbyterian Church while the NCCE District Director, Mr. Dampare took the secretaryship duties of the Committee.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MoGCSP & ISD TRAIN ISD OFFICERS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ON SWCES 15th FEBRUARY, 2024

Image
A day’s training workshop for the roll out of a pending nation-wide public education and sensitization campaign on the Single Window Citizens Engagement Service [SWCES], has taken place in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, this Thursday, February 15, 2024. The training workshop was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection [MoGCSP] in collaboration with the Information Services Department [ISD]. Group Picture; Participants & Trainers   Some eight Regional Information Officers and their respective metropolitan, municipal as well as district information officers, were the main participants in the training as these officers are the professionals clothed with the requisite skills and ground experience to execute the public education and sensitization campaign on the SWCES in the coming weeks. The said ISD officers were drawn from the Upper East, the Ahafo, Bono and Bono East Regions. The rest came from the Northern Region, Upper West, Savannah and Nor...
Read more

THE POLICE WON'T CONSIDER FAMILY TIES & FRIENDSHIPS IN APPLYING LAW DURING ELECTIONS 21st NOV., 2024

Image
The Paga District Police Commander, ASP Mr. Ziaullah Khalil Ibrahim has assured citizens in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region and voters in the Chiana-Paga Constituency that, the Police will apply the law firmly and fairly during and after the country’s 2024 general elections. He gave the assurance this Thursday afternoon whilst addressing a meeting with political party youths in Paga and stressed that; “we the Police will not consider family ties and friendships while dealing with all election-related issues”.   ASP Khalil Making His Presentation The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) with funding from the European Union (EU), convened the meeting as part of efforts to ensure peaceful and violence-free elections. This also falls under the bigger EU sponsored programme named; Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism (PCVE).   ASP Khalil noted that though the Chiana-Paga constituency has some worrying numbers of known hot-spots, the d...
Read more

MoFA RECEIVES APPROVAL TO SPEND & RECRUIT IN FIGHT AGAINST HPAI 25th OCTOBER, 2021

Image
  Ghana’s Cabinet has given approval for the release of 43,984,017.70 Ghana Cedis to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in its efforts geared at combating the current outbreaks of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza [HPAI] in the country. The Minister for Food and Agriculture Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who announced this at a press briefing held this Monday at the ministry, added that the approval came on the back of a proposal his ministry submitted to Cabinet on the subject matter. He said the approval also empowered the ministry to recruit 1,100 veterinary professionals to augment the staff numbers of the Veterinary Services Directorate [VSD] across the country so as to ensure the effective containment of the influenza. Dr. Akoto, Agric Minister making his presention   According to Dr. Akoto, Cabinet additionally directed that 50 percent of the 1,100 professionals representing 550 of them, should be recruited immediately whilst the remaining 50 percent is to be recruite...
Read more