NCCE Urges Youth to Resist Being Used as Conduits of Havoc During Elections.

Bolgatanga: Mr Omar Jafaru Alsadiq, the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on the youth to resist any attempt to be used by political actors to cause mayhem during the December 7 general election. He emphasized that such conduct would jeopardize the peace of the country, destroy its democratic gains, and create fertile ground for violent extremists to destabilize the nation.According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Alsadiq made the call during an engagement with youth groups from various communities in the municipality, including Yorogo, Nyariga, Kalbeo, and Sherigu. This initiative is part of phase-two of the Preventing and Containing Violent Extremism (PCVE) project. Sponsored by the European Union (EU), the project is being implemented by the NCCE in the five regions of northern Ghana and three other adjoining regions. The aim is to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of violent extremism and electoral violence and emphasize the impor tance of peaceful participation in the democratic process.The engagement focused on enhancing the youth's understanding of peacebuilding mechanisms, social cohesion, and community-based strategies. These include identifying early warning signs and basic community-based strategies for countering arms proliferation. Mr James Abdulai Ayaala, the Upper East Regional Director of the NCCE, stressed the importance of youth exercising restraint to prevent violent extremism from taking root, especially given the growing threat of terrorism in neighboring countries like Burkina Faso and Mali.Additionally, Superintendent David N. Nartey, Head of Intel at the Upper East Regional Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), encouraged the youth to guard themselves against extremist ideologies. He highlighted the presence of conflict entrepreneurs who benefit from the chaos and urged the youth, who are often targets for recruitment, to resist such attempts and report suspicious activities to security services.Shei k Abu-Bakr Abdul Rahman, Chairman of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), addressed the use of religion by extremists to brainwash recruits. He called on the youth to protect the peace of the country for sustainable development, noting that such extremist efforts serve only their interests.The workshop concluded with a joint statement on commitment to peace and security. Read by participant Jonah Adombila, it declared, "Having participated in this youth engagement on PCVE, we are committed to fostering peace in our communities and ensuring a violent-free election."