The Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Mr Joseph Kingsley Onyinah, has appealed to politicians to refrain from lies and deception in the desperate bid for political power.

He said employing mischief to win the mandate of the people was dishonourable and a bad example to the youth.

He was opening the national conference of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) at the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education in the Asante-Akim North Municipality on Friday.

“Violence-free elections: A major characteristic of democracy” was the theme for the weeklong meeting.

The delegates discussed issues of national concern and planned the way forward.

Mr Onyinah said it behooved political leaders to uphold the principles of fairness, tolerance and decency.

He said they should not do anything to polarize and tear down the very country they were seeking to govern.

He advised student supporters of the various political parties to take up the challenge of assisting to educate people in their communities about the need to ensure peace during and after the December presidential and parliamentary polls.

All should help to grow the nation’s democracy, he added.

Mr Evans Agyekum, National President of the Association, asked the people to demand responsible conduct from the politicians.