Ms Kathleen Addy, Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged the youth never to desire military rule despite economic hardship.
She noted that lately there had been public outcry with many feeling democracy was not delivering and calling for undemocratic governance.
“…And so young people in particular are disillusioned and they feel that this is not working for them, hearing of coups in other countries, so we hear lots of people saying that we should go back to that way of life.”
The Chairperson said that was highly unacceptable and that military governance would not solve the problems Ghanaians faced, adding that, “as a country, we have come a long way as far as undemocratic governance is concerned.”
Ms Addy said should the fourth republic be broken, it would be difficult to rise again from military rule, hence advised Ghanaians, particularly the youth to abort such thoughts.
“No matter how bad things are for you now, trust me, without the protection of the constitution, rule of law, freedom of speech, and others, you cannot imagine how life will be,” she stressed.
The Chairperson said this during the Relaunch of University of Ghana’s (UG) Civic Education Club (CEC) in Accra.
She said CECs were one of the Commission’s key vehicles for connecting with young people in schools to take on their responsibilities as citizens and play ambassadorial roles for the Commission.
Ms Addy encouraged the youth to join various CECs to help promote and sustain democracy and inculcate in the Ghanaian citizenry, the awareness of their rights and obligations through civic education.
Professor Seidu Alidu, Head of Political Science Department, UG, said being a member of CEC was a call to action, where members of the association would desire to contribute to democratic governance.
He said democratic rule was essential to every nation because it provided the opportunity for citizens to participate in decision making processes and for citizens to hold their leaders to account for the stewardship given to them.
Professor Alidu said knowledge and information was one of the bedrocks of democratic dispensation or to hold leaders to account, and that without it, it would become difficult for citizens to participate in decision making processes.
He urged the executives of the Club to collectively work to be able to contribute their quota to sustain the CEC.
Source: GNA
