Electoral violence in Ghana may be less severe than in other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Every election has experienced some level of violence. Some parts of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana has been the stage of violence connected to competition for parliamentary seat with tribal factions in conflict. Devoid of that, a large section of the general public from all walks of life, majority being the youth and students were in attendance to participate in the durbar in Exporting the Pledge for a Peaceful Elections
Dignitaries present were The executive secretary of the regional peace council, Mr. Henry Okai Attoh, the Regional Coordinator for Physical Education and Sports Mr. Michael Ntow Aryeh, the Greater Accra Regional Administrator of SRC Mr. Prosper Nartey, the C.E. O of G. E. M, Ms. Juliana Kplorfia, the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education Ms. Monica Ankrah and Mr. Charlse Dowuona. The headmaster of St. Thomas Aquinas SHS represented by the Parish Priest Rev. Father Francis Maslow Gave
Other schools in attendance were the Forces Senior High Technical School led by Mr. Joseph Hagan Nkum, St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High, Kinbu Senior Technical School led by Mr. Felix Adzowu, La Presec led by Mr. Clement Agalic and Accra Girl’s Senior High School also led by Addo Danquah Enoch and Seraphine Setorgloh and the media
In a Speech delivered by the executive secretary of the regional peace council, Mr. Henry Okai Attoh said “a youthful population like ours have a lot of potentials if the needed attention and investment is being paid to the plight of the youth. On the contrary, the future of our beloved country will be jeopardized if we let our youthful exuberance misguide our perspective and regards for one another sociocultural differences”
Ms. Julian Kplorfia the C.E.O of G. E. M on her turn made all the youth stood up and sang the popular Ghanaian patriotic song “Arise Ghana Youth For your Country” and further urged the youth to uphold the tenets of the song and live by it.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of Education Ms. Monica Ankrah took turns to answer numerous questions posed by the participants bothering them on electoral offences, venues of elections at some schools as polling and coalition centers during elections, negative influence of some politicians on students being used as instruments of violence and chaos. Ms. Monica Ankrah in an interactions to help answer the posed questions conducted a survey about the motivating factors of youth-led violence that among others concluded that the main factors are poverty, youth unemployment, weak security, poor self-discipline and manipulation or coercion by politicians. The participants used the knowledge they gained on the electoral process and voter’s rights to vote on issues rather than being negatively influenced by current circumstances to inflict wounds and damage to both themselves and the community.
In his closing remarks, the Team leader also the National Cadet Corps Coordinator General in a vote of thanks quoted Linda Lingle’s – “Politicians all too often think about the next election. Statesmen think about the next generation.
He admonished all gathered to love one another and admit that elections will come and go and that we should all live in peace and harmony to develop Ghana.
The Parish Priest and Chaplain for the St. Thomas Aquinas SHS, Rev. Father Francis Maslow Gave prayed for peace before, during and after the Elections and prayed for understanding and cohesion amongst the people of this Country.
The National Pledge was recited by all present to bring down the curtains on the fourteenth Community Peace Durbar 2020.
